Cries of a Shattered Mind
by AwakeAndAliveSpartan
Summary: They're both broken, though their scars couldn't be more different. One's imprisoned, ashamed of what he has done. The other was left with brain damage, unable to think like he used to. They're both ignored and left alone by the others. One decides to halfway trust the other to talk to him. Maybe they can both help work out each other's kinks. Spoilers for season two as progresses.
1. Chapter 1 (Why Are You Here?)

**Chapter One (Why Are You Here?)**

Fitz walked down the hallways of Coulson's new base. He was all alone, everyone else was off doing something else. And no one really talked to him anymore.

'_Fitz, where are you going?' _Simmons asked from behind him.

"Do I have to have a certain, ah, destination?" Fitz asked, not stopping.

'_No, but I find it strange that you're walking the halls."_

"Maybe I want to." Fitz retorted.

Fitz came to a dead end hallway, lined with six doors, three on each side each marked with 'Vault' and a letter from A to D. "What are these doors?" he asked.

'_How am I supposed to know, Fitz?" _Simmons asked.

"I don't know, Simmons. But I'm going to see." Fitz replied, trying all of the doors, only to find them all open except one, Vault D. "This one's locked, what do you think is behind it?"

'_Probably something that you don't need to be snooping into.' _Simmons replied. _'There's a reason why it's the only door locked, and why it's labeled as a vault. There's probably something dangerous in there.'_

"I want to find out." Fitz said.

'_Don't. There's a reason why it's locked.'_

"But I can probably, ah, ah, ah,"

'_Hack into it?'_

"Yes! Hack, that's the word." Fitz said, his face twisting in frustration. "I can hack into it and unlock it."

'_Fitz, don't,' _Simmons began, but Fitz had started tinkering with the lock anyways. She sighed in annoyance, Fitz would not listen to her anymore.

A click and a series of beeps a few minutes later signaled that the door had been unlocked.

Fitz smiled, standing up and looking at Simmons, "There, I, uh, did it."

Simmons rolled her eyes, _'Just a quick glance. There's no telling if it's alarmed or not.'_

She followed Fitz into the room, and down a staircase into a massive room. They stopped and frowned as the lights turned on. A man laid on a bed on the other side of the room, facing the wall.

'_This must be some kind of prison cell.' _Simmons said. _'There has to be some kind of laser system to act as the bars over there in front of that chair. We need to get out of here.'_

"Who do you think it is?" Fitz asked. "Why would Coulson have someone, uh, locked up here at base?"

'_I don't know, but like I said we need to get out of here now. That guy's probably dangerous.'_

"But who is it?"

But Fitz spoke a little too loud, for the man stirred in the bed and sat up. He turned around to see who could be possibly in the cell. Fitz froze when he saw who it was. Ward.

Ward froze as well, confused to why Fitz was in the room.

Confusion and just a bit of hate filled Fitz, he stormed forwards towards the chair.

'_Fitz, don't!' _Simmons exclaimed.

Fitz stopped by the chair and pointed at Ward, "Why the hell are you here?!" he exclaimed. "Why are you here?"

Ward gulped, slowly getting up from the bed and taking a few steps forward, "Keep it down, please. They'll think that I'm attacking you. And I don't want to know what Coulson will do. But, I don't know what you mean." he said.

"You know what I mean, why are you, uh, uh, at this place?" Fitz asked. "I thought that you were in a prison far away."

Ward frowned, "They didn't tell you?" he asked.

"Nobody tells me anything anymore!" Fitz exclaimed.

Ward's gaze shifted, "Coulson had me brought here to, uh, 'help' with finding other Hydra members."

"But why didn't they tell me?" Fitz asked. His face fell, "They all think that I'm, uh, uh. What's the word?"

'_Worthless?' _Simmons asked, frowning.

"Yes! Worthless!"

Ward frowned, "What do you mean worthless?" he asked.

Fitz frowned, "And it's all because of you! I can't think straight anymore because of your little, uh, plan back at the Bus with Garrett!"

"What?"

"My brain's messed up because you threw us in the ocean." Fitz said.

Ward's face fell. He took a step back, "No, no. I didn't mean for that to happen. It was supposed to float, I didn't think that it would sink." he said.

"Well you didn't think hard enough. You should've even brought us back on the plane to start with! If you had just left us alone, I wouldn't be like this!" Fitz cried.

Ward shook his head, "I-I didn't know. And I couldn't let you go, Garrett would've shot you. You would be dead if I had of let you go." He looked down, "The pod was supposed to float. I didn't know."

'_Fitz, be careful of what you say towards him. I think that we should go.' _Simmons said, but Fitz ignored her.

"It's your fault that I'm broken. It's your fault that everyone thinks I'm useless, unable to do anything anymore. It's just that it, ah, what is it? It takes longer and it's harder to think clearer." Fitz said.

"Fitz, I didn't know that all of this would happen, I'm, I'm sorry." Ward said.

"Yeah, sure you are. You're not sorry that I'm broken now."

"Don't worry, I'm broken too." Ward said, his voice barely a whisper.

Fitz raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Nothing. It doesn't matter. No one listens anyways."

'_Come on, Fitz. We need to go before someone else shows up.' _Simmons said.

"Not now, Jemma." Fitz said.

Ward frowned, he didn't see Simmons. Did Fitz have an ear piece in?

"Well maybe someone would listen if you hadn't been such an, an, ass." Fitz continued. "And don't ever expect me to forgive you, ever."

Ward balled up his hands, "I don't expect anyone to. You don't have to." he said, his voice low.

"Good, because I'm not." Fitz said, turning around. "And I'm leaving now, don't expect me to be back."

"It doesn't matter to me." Ward muttered.

"Come on, Simmons, I'm going." Fitz said, going back up the stairs and out the door, shutting and locking the door behind him.

Ward sank back to the bed as the lights greatly dimmed. "What exactly did I do to him?" he asked himself quietly.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Oi, trying something new! This is gonna be a fic about Fitz and Ward helping each other out with their problems since no one else will. I didn't make Ward sound as creepy as he did in 2x01, just because I didn't like it.I hope this story does work, all my other ones haven't done very well. And remember, there's a reason why Simmons' dialogue is in italics, she isn't there. I really hope you enjoy! Keep reading and PLEASE review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	2. Chapter 2 (The Only One That Talks)

**Chapter Two (The Only One That Talks)**

* * *

_**Thanks to all of the response, though I was hoping for more than one favorite. TRIGGER WARNING, mentions of self harm and suicide.**_

* * *

It was two days later when Fitz came back unexpectedly. It surprised Ward that he even came back. Ward came up to the laser-fence as Fitz stood by the lone, metal chair.

"You're, uh, back." Ward said. "No one ever comes back willingly."

Fitz crossed his arms, "You're the one that actually talks to me without looking at me like I'm an, uh, uh, alien. And don't worry, I managed to, ah, rig the feed so they don't see us talking in here." he said. "But, they look at me like I'm going to break at any moment. They're afraid to look at me straight. They're afraid that I'm going to, ah, ah, snap."

"You're lucky that they even talk to you. Once they get what they want from me, that's it. I can't say anything else. I get cut off." Ward said. He pointed to the wall. "Some kind of shield thing forms from the wall, separates me from whoever's in here. I can't see them, they can't see me." Ward scratched his head, his forearm facing towards Fitz.

Fitz frowned, "What's that?" he asked, pointing to Ward's arm.

The color drained from Ward's face. He looked at his arm to where a long scar on the each of them stood out. Each from the base of his hand to about two inches down. "Oh, uh, this?" he asked.

"Yeah, uh, what is it?" Fitz asked. "I don't ever remember seeing that."

Ward gulped, "You know when someone gets into the state that I'm in, the situation gets dire sometimes when there's nothing else that you can do."

Fitz's mouth fell slightly open, "You tried, uh, uh, killing yourself." he said simply.

Ward nodded, his gaze shifting from the young engineer. "I felt that I had nothing else that I could do, I was out of options."

"Even with you, that shouldn't drive someone to kill themselves." Fitz said. "Nothing should."

"It started with a button from the back of my pants, but they took that away from me. Then I found out that paper gets really sharp if it's folded enough. That didn't work. Then I tried running into the wall." He pointed to a healing gash on his forehead.

Fitz swallowed, "You tried three different times."

Ward nodded slowly, "They had to eventually sedate me. When I awoke in an infirmary room, everything was clearer. I realized what I was doing was wrong, I stopped. And everything I did came back to me. I just want to make everything right."

"And I don't think that's going to happen, ah, judging by the way Coulson's acting now." Fitz said.

Ward raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I don't know what happened to him, but something's off." Fitz said. "He's more, ah what's the word?" Fitz thought for a minute, his face clenching up. "Stubborn, that's what it is. He does what he wants to do and doesn't really listen to others. So I don't think that you would be able to make anything right anytime soon."

Ward sighed, going back and sitting down on the bed. "I messed everything up, just because I didn't see Garrett as the bad guy."

"Why wouldn't you see him as the bad guy?" Fitz asked. "I mean, he was psychotic."

"Fitz, if you where like me, you would take anybody's help. Even if that help came from John Garrett. I thought he saved me, I thought that I owed him everything in the entire world."

"What do you mean?"

"I was in a messed up place in my childhood. My older brother was abusive, my parents no better. My younger brother, who I cared for, died by drowning in a well thanks to my older brother. My parents eventually sent me to military school, but I ran away.

I ran back home, only to burn my house down to the ground. I didn't know that my older brother was inside, he almost died. I was sent to juvie, I was going to be charged as an adult by my parents. That's when Garrett showed up.

He offered me a new chance at life, and I took it. He then threw me in the woods for five years, only with a dog by my side. That should've been my first clue to run. But I stayed, believing that he saved me and I owed him everything. He got me into SHIELD, and Hydra as well. I should've had run from the start." he explained.

Fitz didn't know what to say in response. "So that's why."

"I threw everything I had away, and I can't get it back." Ward ran his hands through his hair, "And it feels like everything is crashing down around me. I'm just a monster that no one wants to see anymore. They rather have me locked away in this prison until I die than anything else. I'll rot and die in here, and they'll be glad about that."

"So we're both ignored." Fitz said. "They leave me alone, but I rather be left alone than be treated like a, a, a dying person by them. Even Simmons won't look at me."

This took Ward by surprise, "She won't look at you? You two were pretty much attached to the hip."

"No, she won't. And I know that caused some problems." Fitz looked gingerly off to the side where he saw Simmons standing. But he knew that it wasn't Simmons, he was imagining her. "Even she avoids me. I'm left alone entirely. They think I'll completely, uh, ah, uh, break."

Ward looked to the staircase, hearing noises outside. "You might want to go, before they find you in here." he said.

Fitz nodded, "I guess so. At least you're the only one that will talk to me. And I'm , ah, surprised."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. So Fitz comes back and they talk. Fitz tells Ward about him and Ward tells Fitz about his attempts at his life and exactly why he followed Garrett. Good? I hope so. Should I add action in this, or keep this solely as how it is now? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	3. Chapter 3 (You Seem, Different)

**Chapter Three (You Seem, Different.)**

(About a Week Later.)

May poked her head inside of the lab, "Fitz, are you in here?" she asked. "Do you have the specs of that machine?"

No answer.

May walked inside the lab and looked around. She frowned, no one was in the lab. Fitz was always in the lab, where did he go? She looked around once more and saw the machine that had been brought in for analysis was still on the table. And it looked like it hadn't been touched.

May started to turn around and walk out, but a voice from behind her stopped her.

"May?"

She turned around and saw Fitz standing in the doorway.

"Are you here for the, uh, specs?" he asked.

"Yes. Coulson asked about them." May replied.

Fitz walked towards the table and picked up a flash drive and handed it to May, "It wasn't that easy, but I, ah, managed to do it." he said. "The machine isn't alien, so you can rule out 084. But it was made by Hydra. It seems to emit, what is it? Electrical pulses. The pulse can disable any kind of weapon, or fire it. It's just like that weapon back in Russia or wherever that was. The one Ward and I retrieved."

"So Hydra took it from SHIELD archives and just built more?" May asked. "That's what I'm guessing."

"Great. I'll guess I'll take this back to Coulson then."

Fitz raised an eyebrow, "He's actually here?" he asked.

"Believe it or not, yes. He's been taking a break, mostly because I forced him to. He was overworking himself, he needed one. How about you, how have you been?" she asked. "I haven't seen you."

Fitz shook his head, "I've been in here and my room. In and out." He didn't mention his conversations with Ward though. That had accounted for three times now and the both were slightly starting to warm up to each other again, despite everything.

May took a breath, "Fitz, I know that it's hard with Simmons gone. But she'll probably be back sooner or later."

Fitz looked to the ground, "Why did she leave?" he asked. "No one will tell me."

May shook her head, "I don't know, Fitz. Honestly, I was shocked that she left. I think everything was overwhelming her, but I'm not sure."

"At least you talk to me, no one else will."

"Fitz, you need to make an effort to. It doesn't help you to sit alone all day by yourself." May said. "Try and talk to someone, I'm sure Skye or Triplett will talk to you."

"They still look at me, ah, funny." Fitz muttered. "And I don't like it."

"Fitz, honestly it's that they're unsure of what to say to you. They're still taking in what happened to you. Give it some time, everything will work out." May explained.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

* * *

Ward looked up as he heard the Vault door shut and someone come down the stairs. He was expecting to see Fitz coming up, but it wasn't. It was Skye. He stood up but didn't say anything as she came up.  
She stood by the lone metal chair, "What, no creepy comments?" she asked.

Ward took a breath, "What do you, ah, want?" he asked, knowing that Skye wasn't here on her own accord.

"Coulson wants more information." Skye said simply.

"Like what?"

"Location of Hydra bases. He wants to know if there's any that we're missing." Skye replied.

"I only knew of a few." Ward said. "And one of them was the one that came down in Cuba last year. So, only about three."

"That will still work, as long as they're not tricks and just send us to dead ends."

Ward held out his hands, "I promise they're not." he said. "They're real."

Skye narrowed her eyes, "Something seems," She paused. "Different about you."

"What do you mean?" Ward asked, his voice monotonous.

"I don't know what it is, but there's something different."

"I still don't know what you mean."

Skye didn't know what it was, but she could've sworn that there was a light in his lights. Last time she saw him, his eyes were bleak and dull, full of sadness. "Never mind."

Ward frowned, curious to what she meant. "Is there anything else Coulson needs?" he asked.

"Not at the moment. But I hope that there isn't anything else." Skye said. "'Cause I really hate being in here. You may 'like' it when I'm in here, but I don't. I'm here just because I have no other choice, it's Coulson's orders. I didn't even want to follow them. But I'm the only one he sends in here."

Ward shifted his gaze to the floor and didn't say a word.

"But at least you're not as creepy as last time I was in here, that was just disturbing. Now if you would give me the location of those bases so I can give them to Coulson." Skye said.

Ward flinched at her word, but went on to give her the locations the best he could. Hopefully there would be one day Skye wouldn't treat him like the piece of trash he felt that he was.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. No Ward and Fitz scenes this time. I threw May in there since she seems to be the only one really caring for Fitz. And Skye is still nasty forwards Ward, but notices something different about him. Perhaps Ward's secret talks with Fitz are affecting him? Maybe? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	4. Chapter 4(So Far Away)

**Chapter Four (So Far Away)**

"So," Ward began. "What's going on in the outside world?" he asked. "It's not like that I would know, being in here and all."

Fitz shrugged, "I really don't know. I'm always here at the base, in and out of the lab and my room. The others are always on missions, but I can't go on them though. The only real, ah, ah, connection to the outside is the small TV in my room. That's it." he said.

Ward looked to the floor, "You're lucky though." he said. "I have nothing to do in her other than stare at the wall or sleep. No one comes in here other than an agent I don't know that gives me food and takes me to the bathroom twice a day and Skye and Coulson, and that's only to get information from me. Nobody else. You're the only one that comes in here and talks."

"And the others still don't know about that." Fitz said.

"Keep it that way, Fitz. I don't want to know what they would do if they knew that you have been sneaking in here for the past week and a half to talk to me." Ward replied. "Keep it between us."

Fitz nodded, "So what's it like in here?" he asked.

"Lonely. Boring. Desolate." Ward said. "I can't even tell if it's day or night in here."

"I think it's the middle of the day." Fitz responded.

"What about the time of year?"

"I think late spring, early summer." Fitz said. "Maybe May or June, but I don't know. I really don't pay, uh, attention anymore."

"So I've been in here for several months now?" Ward muttered. "That's just great."

"So they don't even tell you what day it is?" Fitz asked.

"No. All they do is ask me for information, that's it. I have no idea what's going on outside these walls."

"That isn't right." Fitz said. "I know that you've done horrible things and you need to be, be… What's the word?" Fitz paused, frustration building on his face. "Reprehended! That's it! You still need to be reprehended for them, but not like this. Not all alone." he said.

"But I've heard them talking about your 'condition', something about mental issues or something like that. If that's true, you don't need to be in here all alone. That doesn't, ah, help. Not at all." Fitz continued.

"Try telling them that." Ward muttered.

"I would, but that would tell them that I've been talking with you." Fitz said. "And you said that that wouldn't be good."

"It's hard being in here all alone." Ward said. "You don't know what goes on inside of my head, and it's not nice." He ran a hand through his hair, "I want it to stop, but it won't. The deafening quiet of this room only makes it ten times worse. And there's nothing I can do about that. No one will help me, they rather see me die and rot in this cell other than help me. You're the only one that actually does anything for me."

A lump formed in Fitz's throat. Ward was messed up, and no one would help him. They would rather see him die than help him out. Everyone would just stand and watch Ward drown within his own mind.

"I know that they don't like you, but this is just wrong." Fitz said.

"At least you're the only one that understands." Ward croaked, looked to the ground. "No one else does."

Fitz didn't know how to respond. "I, ah, don't know what to do." he said. "But hopefully it will get better in time." He paused for a while, "Remember that I said that Simmons wouldn't look at me?" he asked.

Ward nodded slowly.

"I was toning it down just a bit, she left a while back."

Ward's eyes widened, "What?" he asked, surprised.

"She left. They say that there was too much stress on her with everything and she left to take a, a, break for a while, but I think she just couldn't stand seeing me… Like this." He spread his hands out. "But she did come back about a few days ago after a mission. But when she was gone, I was all alone. Then _it _started happening."

Ward narrowed his eyes, "It?" he asked.

"She appeared. I thought it was still her, not until I overheard Coulson saying that she had left. That's when I realized it was all in my head." Fitz said somberly.

"You were imagining Simmons." Ward trailed off, not sure what to say.

"They thought I was losing it, and I probably was. I truly thought it was her. I'm, ah, ah, deteriorating. I am losing it." Fitz said.

"Don't say that. You seem ok." Ward said.

"That's because I'm fine right now!" Fitz exclaimed. "I have moments where I'm perfectly fine, but there are others." Tears started to well up in his eyes. His eyes shifted nervously towards the door, "I've got to go." he said, and disappeared out of the room.

As Fitz closed the door, the lights dimmed back down to darkness. Ward stared off into the darkness, wondering what was going to happen to both him and Fitz.

* * *

Coulson looked at Skye, Triplett, and Hunter, "May and I are going a mission that we can't discuss." he said.

Hunter raised an eyebrow, "Can't discuss?" he asked. "What kind of mission is that?"

"A one for the Director." Coulson replied. "But there are no missions for you guys to go on until we get back, so that's the plus side."

"What's the down side?" Triplett asked.

"You get to watch the base." Coulson said with a slight smile. "Make sure that nothing bad happens."

"Yeah, we're going to throw a huge party and invite everyone and Fitz is going to blow something up." Skye said sarcastically.

"You better not." Coulson said with a cold glare. "Where is Fitz anyways?"

"I don't know." Skye replied.

"Is he with Simmons?"

"I don't know where she is at either."

"Well someone find them and tell them what I just said." Coulson said.

"Got it. Secret mission. Watch the base. No giant parties or explosions." Hunter said.

"And don't you get cocky with me too."

Hunter held his hands up.

"And please do not, any under circumstances blow up the base." Coulson said. "Because I wouldn't put it past any of you to do just that."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Lots of feels in this one. Yep. And this is around the time of 2x04 according to the synopsis, look it up and read it because the next several chapters are going to based off of that one synopsis. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	5. Chapter 5 (Take it All Away)

**Chapter Five (Take it All Away)**

* * *

_**Warning: Brief mentions of suicide.**_

* * *

"_You've stripped me down, the layers fall like rain. It's over now, just innocence and instinct still remain. You watched me while I slowly disappeared. I reached for you to save me; you were frozen in your fear. Take it all away."_

* * *

Fitz jumped when he felt a hand softly grip his shoulder. He spun around to see Simmons with a small, caring smile on her face. "J-Jemma? What is it?" he asked.

"Did I scare you?" Simmons asked.

"Well coming out of nowhere behind me doesn't, ah, help." Fitz said.

"Sorry. Skye wanted me to tell you that Coulson and May are leaving the base for a mission and we're to look after the base and not leave it." Simmons said.

"It's not like they let me leave the base anyways." Fitz muttered. "Jemma, tell me why Coulson doesn't let me leave the base."

Simmons frowned, "Fitz, I really don't know that either. But I think it's just that he wants you to get better." she said.

"How am I supposed to get better when no one helps?!" Fitz snapped.

"What?"

"Everyone ignores me, treats me like I'm broken. They're afraid to talk to me. Then you, ah, leave right out of nowhere. I can't deal with this on my own." Fitz muttered. "Nothing's going to help me when nobody wants to help me. I'm ignored."

"Fitz," Simmons began.

"And I thought that I could do it on my own." he cut in. "But I couldn't. It only made it worse. And then you left and I was truly alone. But I didn't know that you left at first."

"Wait what?" Simmons asked. "What does that mean?"

"You were, uh, still there to me. You were in my head."

Simmons gulped, "You were.. Hallucinating me?" she asked, shocked.

Fitz slowly shook his head, "I didn't know it until I overheard Coulson saying that you had left. Then I didn't know what to make of it. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't. It doesn't help when you're left all alone to your own mind."

"Fitz, I didn't know." Simmons said. "I'm sorry. I'll talk to Coulson when he gets back. And with what you're describing, you need someone to talk to. You didn't try to tell Coulson?"

"No, I didn't want to talk to them. They treated me, ah, oddly. Treated me like I would crack at any moment. And they kept things from me." Fitz replied.

"Like what?"

"Did you know that Ward's locked up here?" Fitz asked. "Did you?"

"Yes."

"I didn't." Fitz said. "I got curious to see why Vault D was the only vault locked. Got it, saw that it was Ward in there. Why was that kept from me?"

"Fitz, I don't know. I thought that they told you."

"They didn't. And you know who's a better listener than anyone else?" Fitz asked. "Ward."

Simmons' face dropped, "You've been talking to him?" she asked.

"For the past week and a half." Fitz replied. "He's the only one that will talk to me without looking at me weird."

"Does Coulson know?"

"No. I've kept it a secret." Fitz said. "And he needs help too. Did you know that he's tried to, ah, kill himself three times now?" he asked.

"What?" Simmons asked, horrified.

"When someone needs help, get them the help they need, Jemma. Don't ignore them."

"Fitz, I've been busy. There was a problem with Donnie Gill at the base I was at. I wouldn't have known."

"I'm not blaming you." Fitz said. "I know that you would help. It's just that no one else will."

"Fitz, I," Simmons began, but stopped as a horrifying sound echoed throughout the lab. Screams. And gunshots. "Leo, get down!" she screamed.

* * *

"_Circling the pain inside my soul. I reached inside your silence to steal what you won't show. I tried to find the answers in my fears. But what I found is lost again as soon as it appeared."_

* * *

Ward sighed and shifted in his spot on his cell bed, staring at the wall. What else was there to do? Nothing.

He wasn't given any form of entertainment within this cell. Coulson expected him to sit and stare at the wall all day. And that's exactly what he did.

And that wasn't the best thing for a man like Ward, a man that had already tried to commit suicide three times while locked away. Silence wasn't the best thing for him. It let his thoughts settle, dragging him further and further down into the black abyss that was his mind.

And when Fitz came, that was the only time that Ward was free of these restricting, paralyzing thoughts. And Fitz would come every so often. That wasn't enough.

Ward was a broken man, perhaps broken way beyond repair. And no one would even attempt to repair him. This wasn't something that he could fix on his own, and who would even offer to help him?

Fitz was some support, but he was way too caught up in his own problem, a problem that Ward was responsible for.

Ward clenched his fists and stared at the wall. Perhaps he should try once more? He shook his head. No, no more. He should be strong. He held his shaky hands out in front of him.

There were so much sin and blood on his hands, it wasn't funny. And this thought only drug him down even further. He took a shaky, ragged breath and placed his hands back down.

Ward continued to stare at the wall, until an almost ear-splitting sound ripped through the stark silence of the cell.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

Gunshots. Followed by a scream. Ward froze, he could've sworn that it was Skye. Someone was in the base, and they weren't friendly.

He jumped up and ran to the barrier. It was still activated. Someone was attacking the base while he was stuck completely helpless in this hell of a cell.

* * *

"_I'm breaking; I can't do this on my own. Can you hear me screaming out, am I all alone?"_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Take it All Away' by Red. Using songs again, is there one you would like to see used? And so all of that happened. I'm evil. Very evil. And I'm leaving you there. Keep reading and please, favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	6. Chapter 6 (Learn From the Night)

**Chapter Six (Learn From the Night)**

* * *

"_Temping lies with bloodshot eyes is not who I wanted to be.. It's not who I wanted to be. Buried deep in a song I keep are words I needed to say. But words never come out right."_

* * *

Skye froze in terror as an armored arm burst into the common room where her, Triplett, and Hunter were at. The three agents backed up. They weren't armed, they had been hanging out.

The man pointed his gun towards the group at no particular person.

"Who are you?!" Hunter exclaimed.

The man didn't respond, but a high-pitched sound echoed through the room. He fell over and the three agents saw Mack standing there with an ICER.

Triplett raised an eyebrow, "Didn't know that you were a fighter, Mack." he said.

"I'm not. But when there are assailants attacking the base, I take matters into my own hands." Mack replied with a slight smile.

The agents gathered in the middle of the room.

"Who are these people?" Skye asked.

"Hydra most likely." Hunter said. "That seems to be the most logical option at the moment."

"We need to contact May and Coulson. Where's Jemma and Fitz?"

Mack shrugged, "I'm assuming still in the lab if the attackers haven't already gotten there." he said. "I'll go find them."

"And I'll try to contact Coulson and May." Triplett said. "Skye, you and Hunter can try to take out any of these guys you can find. There's no telling how many of them there are."

Skye nodded, "T-That sounds good." she stammered, clearly scared. "We'll just have to somehow make it to the armory from here to get ICERS or guns. It's a matter of how many Hydra asses are between us and them."

* * *

"_We believe out hearts are pleased where I don't feel good enough…. I don't feel good enough."_

* * *

Fitz and Simmons dropped to the floor at the sound of the gunshots and hid under the lab table.

"W-Who's that?!" Fitz exclaimed, fear oozing from his voice.

"How am I supposed to know?" Simmons asked. "Now keep quiet before whoever this is finds us and kills us!"

Fitz shut his mouth.

They watched from underneath the table as unknown boots scurried down the hallway. They weren't SHIELD.

"Did the military finally find us?" Fitz whispered.

"I don't think that's the military, Fitz." Simmons whispered back.

"Then it's ah, ah, Hydra?"

"I hope not."

They stayed silent for several minutes, until a pair of dark, scuffed-up boots marched into the lab. Fitz yelped, but Simmons quickly put a hand over his mouth.

The boots walked around the lab, obliviously looking for something. The two scientists trembled as the boots kept circling the table. They suddenly stopped.

"The hell are you?" the man asked.

A high-pitched sound was heard and the man fell onto his back.

Fitz screamed as he came face-to-face with the fallen assailant. Another pair of boots came into the room, approached the table, and leaned down.

They both sighed, it was Mack.

Mack smiled, "You ok?" he asked as the two crawled out from underneath the table.

Fitz brushed off his pants, "Uh, yeah, I, ah, think." he said.

"Who are these guys?" Simmons asked.

"We think Hydra." Mack replied. "Skye and Hunter are trying to fight them off and Triplett is trying to contact Coulson and May. I came to get you. Come on, we need to find somewhere safe."

The two scientists followed Mack into the hallway after he checked to see that is was clear. After a little bit, Fitz stopped suddenly and turned to look at the wall next to him.

He frowned and cocked his head, "Do you hear, ah, beeping?" he asked.

Mack narrowed his eyes, "Beeping?" he asked. "What kind of beeping?"

"Like a, a, a, what's the word?" Fitz frowned.

"I hear it too." Simmons said. "Sounds like a, countdown."

"Countdown! That's it!" Fitz pointed at the wall."

Mack frowned and approached the wall, seeing that there were a few bricks that stuck out a little oddly, "Hold on, what's this?" he asked, pulled the bricks out.

They all froze.

"Is that a, a, bomb?" Fitz asked, eyes wide and voice cracking.

"I think it is." Mack muttered.

"What does it say?" Simmons asked.

"Twenty minutes." Fitz said. "Twenty minutes until we're all dead."

* * *

"_We learn along the way (that life has meaning). Inside we feel the same (should we live for will to change?)."_

* * *

Ward still stood by the activated barrier when it suddenly made a hissing sound and it blinked out. Someone had deactivated it. But who?

He took a hesitant step over the line that marked the barrier. Nothing happened. He went out further into the room. The Vault door was still closed and probably locked.

But who had deactivated the barrier?  
The Vault door then swung open and three armed men stormed in, pointing their guns straight at Ward.

Ward slowly raised his hands in the air as the men surrounded him, "Who are you?" he asked. "What do you want?"

One of the men looked Ward over and looked to the guy next to him, "This is him."

Ward frowned, lowering his hands.

"This is the one that worked with Garrett." He looked back to Ward, "We've come to get you out."

Ward's blood ran cold, "You're Hydra." he stated simply. "What makes you think that I will come with you?" he asked.

"You worked with Hydra before." the man replied.

Ward clenched his fists, "I wasn't loyal to Hydra, or SHIELD." he said. "Nobody but Garrett. But now he's dead. I am not loyal to anyone."

The man raised an eyebrow, "Oh, really?" he asked. "Then in that case, if you're not coming with us, we'll have to deal with you." He walked up and placed the top of his gun right to Ward's left temple.

The cold metal stung against Ward's clammy skin. "What have you done with them?" Ward muttered.

"Oh them?" the man said, pointing with his free hand to above them. "They're probably have been killed by now."

"What?"

"They have probably been killed by now." the man repeated.

Ward's hand shot to the gun and grabbed it, "That's not what I wanted to hear." he growled. With his other hand, he grabbed the man's arm and brought him to the ground. He took the gun and fired it at the two other men, hitting them in their legs and sending them to the ground as well.

"Why fight back now?" the first man asked from the ground.

"I want to remake who they think I am." Ward stated, sending a shot into the man's head.

"You will fail. You will all burn in flames." the man muttered. "Hail, Hydra…" he said before his life ended.

Ward looked at the two other men with a cold, hard glare and they scrambled back the best they could with their wounded legs. Ward stalked up the stairs and out into the hallway. He squinted as the harsh sunlight that he hadn't seen in a long time, but he was going to see what exactly the hell was going on, if he wasn't going to get killed by the ones he used to call teammates first.

* * *

"_All this time we know what's right, and we can make it out alive if we learn from the night."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Learn From the Night' by Sent by Ravens. I make big stuff happen. Hydra attacks. Bomb. Ward is out of his cell. Big right? And probably bad. What will go down? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	7. Chapter 7 (Live Free or Let Me Die)

**Chapter Seven (Live Free or Let Me Die)**

* * *

"_Death until the dust, and we're waiting. Ruined in the rust, of our craving. It feels like, it feels like. Don't you know the cost of your betrayal? You're the one that's lost, you're gonna fail. It feels like, it feels like you're gasping with all your might."_

* * *

Triplett slammed the phone down, "Damn! No answer!" he cursed. He had tried contacting Coulson and May, but he had gotten no answer at all. Coulson usually picked up if May didn't, something was wrong. Very wrong.

He gripped his ICER and turned towards the door. If he wasn't going to get an answer from Coulson and May, he guessed that he should as well protect the base the best he could. And there was no telling how many Hydra soldier were in the base and were surrounding it. He had already taken down four on the way to contact Coulson and May.

'Quick, Trip.' he thought, leaning around the frame of the door. 'What do you do in this situation?' He stepped slowly out into the hallway and crept quietly down the hall, coming up onto a lone Hydra goon.

Triplett smiled softly, 'You take out what comes your way, of course.' he thought, sending two ICER bullets into the soldier's back. The soldier wavered slightly and fell unconscious to the ground.

He continued down the hallway, to where he found Skye creeping around. "Skye, what are you doing by yourself?" he asked. "Where's Lance?"

"He thought he saw something back that way." Skye said, pointing in the opposite direction. "He told me to wait here. Nobody's come this way."

"What did he see?" Triplett asked.

"I don't know, I guess a Hydra soldier or two. They're really spread out, so it's hard to find them." Skye replied.

"You better stay with me Skye, we don't need anything happening to anybody." Triplett said.

Skye took a breath, "Fine, but we probably need to go find Hunter, he has been gone for a while."

"Just show me the way he went."

* * *

"_You can't take away my strength. Fix these broken veins. There's nothing left to fight. (Live free or let me die.)."_

* * *

"Fitz, don't say that!" Simmons exclaimed. "We are not going to die! Right, Mack?"

Mack gulped and examined the bomb closer, "I've never seen this type of bomb before, I'm afraid." he said. "It would take way too long for me to figure it out. It would blow before I could figure out."

"Let me see it." Fitz said, coming up to the small bomb.

"Fitz," Simmons began.

"And don't start that, Jemma. I can do this, stop acting like I'm useless." Fitz snapped. "I can do this." He slowly and carefully took the bomb out of the hole, hands shaking. "We can take this to the lab, where I have, the, the, uh, tools." he said quietly. "I can deactivate it."

"Fitz?" Mack asked.

"I'm fine." Fitz said.

They slowly walked the unknown bomb to the lab which wasn't far away. Fitz placed the bomb on the table and got out the necessary tools.

Fifteen minutes.

He found the back of the bomb and snapped it off, revealing a mess of wires and a strange, glowing power source.

"What the hell is that?" Mack asked.

"I-I don't know." Fitz stammered. "But let me work, please."

Shaking, he took a screwdriver and a pair of pliers, shaking, and examined the wires. "I-I might've seen this before. You ah, ah, dis-disconnect the wire. The wire." he muttered. "There is, there is, a, a."

"Fitz?" Simmons asked. "Are you ok?"

"You take this, uh, uh, wire and you place it, you place it. I don't know, I don't know." he muttered.

"Fitz, I can try. I'll take a look at it." Mack said, his voice calm.

"No!" Fitz exclaimed, shooting to his feet. "I'm tired of you all acting like I can't do anything anymore! So what if I think a little slower?!"

"I wasn't saying,"

"Yes you were!" Fitz yelled. "Say it, you think I'm useless, that I'm no longer, ah, ah, capable!"

"Fitz, don't." Simmons said. "There's a bomb with eleven minutes left on it and it's not the time to be doing this. I believe that you can do it. Focus and you can."

"Like hell you believe." Fitz hissed. "You're just like everyone else, Jemma. Hell, you left me. You didn't believe that I could be helped. No one does." Fitz stalked out of the room.

"I wasn't, that wasn't the reason why I left." Simmons muttered.

"I'll try, Simmons." Mack said. "I'm not guaranteeing that I can do it, but I don't think that Fitz is the one to be deactivating a bomb at the moment. Go get him and bring him back, before Hydra get to him."

Nine minutes.

* * *

"_You can't take away my pride, I won't be denied. There's nothing left to fight (Live free or let me die.)."_

* * *

Hunter crept around every turn, gun positioned our right in front of him. He was ready to take down anyone that was Hydra that came his way. He went around another turn, but stopped seeing that there was another person in the same hall.

The man was walking slowing in the same direction that Hunter was going, a gun hanging robotically at his side. He had no shoes on. Hunter frowned, the man seemed to be wearing a prison getup.

He knew that Coulson had someone locked up in one of the Vaults, and he must've escaped. Hunter aimed his gun right at the man, "Freeze! Stay right where you are!"

The man stopped and slowly turned around, staring blankly at Hunter.

Hunter frowned, he recognized the man's bearded face from pictures and footage that Coulson had shown his, "You're that Ward bloke, aren't you?" he asked.

"So what if I am?" Ward asked robotically. Emotionlessly. "Who are you?"

"Lance Hunter. One of what you would call Coulson's newbies. Now drop the gun and I'll take you forcefully back to your cell."

Ward flinched, this had to be the man that had replaced him other than Triplett. They were trying to wipe all traces of him, he felt. He had been replaced, with some snarky Brit at that. Ward slowly raised the gun, "I've been in there long enough." he said, almost coldly. "I'm not going back."

Hunter raised an eyebrow, "Oh, and what makes you say that?" he asked. "Because we're standing in the middle of a base that's been infiltrated by Hydra. Wait, are you going back to them?"

Ward's face fell, "I was never with them." he stated.

"I've heard the story from Coulson and the others, you were." Hunter responded.

Ward's jaw clenched up, "Then they have the story wrong. I've told Skye, I've told Coulson. I wasn't following Hydra, I wasn't following SHIELD. It was Garrett. Now he's dead, I'm not following anyone."

"No, you're following me back into your cell." Hunter stated coldly.

A shot was fired. Hunter fell to the ground as a bullet tore through his shoulder, and his gun skidded out of reach. He clutched his shoulder as it bled, watching Ward turn around and start to slowly walk the way he was going.

"They'll find you!" Hunter exclaimed.

Ward ignored the Brit's screams, continuing down the hallway a little bit faster. "I know they will." he muttered to himself. "And I didn't need to shoot you, but you were wasting precious time. There's a bomb somewhere, I heard Hydra talking about it. It's going to blow soon. And I'm going to try and stop it."

* * *

"_Insects walk below, I'm on a wire. Fire will burn below, but I am higher. It feels like, it feels like. Don't you know the cost of your betrayal? You're the one that's lost, you're gonna fail. It feels like, it feels like you're gasping with all your might."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Live Free or Let Me Die' by Skillet. All that happened. I'm not going to even explain it since it's already so late and I'm tired. And I'll leave you there. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	8. Chapter 8 (The Remnant)

**Chapter Eight (The Remnant)**

* * *

"_Racing to your obsession, trying to find some poison to numb your mind. There's no time to waste in reality. Grab what you can and run to your heartache."_

* * *

Skye and Triplett came up upon Hunter, who was still lying on the ground clutching his bleeding shoulder.

"Lance, what happened?" Skye asked as Triplett helped the man up.

"We've got more than Hydra to deal with." Hunter replied.

"What do you mean?" Triplett asked.

"That Ward bloke."

Skye's face drained of all color, "Ward? Wait, he's out?" she asked.

"And he shot me."

"Where's he at?" Triplett asked. "Where did he go?"

Hunter pointed down the hall with his good arm, "That way. I don't know what he's doing though. He was acting strange."

"I don't know what that could possibly mean." Skye said. "But we need to get you medical attention first."

Hunter held up his hand, "I'm good, I'll survive. And it's useless getting medical attention now since we're under bloody attack!" he said.

Triplett raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure, Hunter?" he asked. "Because we don't want anybody getting seriously hurt."

"I can keep up." Hunter replied. "Besides, I shoot with my right arm anyways."

"We can probably find a sling somewhere to temporarily take care of it." Triplett said. "I can make a quick run into one of the medical rooms. And I'll make it quick. There's one not too far from here. Just down the hall."

Skye nodded, eyes shifting around in unease, "That sounds good, but I don't think that we need to be separated." she said. "If Ward is really loose in here somewhere, it's not a good idea to be separated."

"Ok, then we'll go all together." Triplett replied. "We'll get Hunter's arm in a sling, then we'll see if we can find Fitz, Simmons, and Mack. They've got to be around here somewhere. But we'll have to watch our backs for Ward though. I don't think that he'll attack us though."

"He's unpredictable." Skye stated. "He shot Lance, he'll shoot us."

"In all honesty I did come out of nowhere and confronted him. I was trying to get him back to his cell. He didn't know who I was though." Hunter said.

"Ok, but we still need to be careful though. There's no telling what Hydra, or Ward for that matter, could do."

* * *

"_If I walk a thousand miles in your shoes, will you stop pretending to hate me? If love had it's way with you, I think we could make it alive."_

* * *

Fitz stalked down the hall in a cloud of melancholy and confusion. He had stormed out of the lab, leaving Simmons and Mack to the active bomb. He knew that he shouldn't had left, but he couldn't do it.

He didn't want to admit what they already thought, that he wasn't capable of diffusing the bomb. The stress of the situation only made his condition worse, his mind became clouded and jumbled and what he needed to think just wouldn't come.

Fitz continued down the hallway, until he ran straight into one person he would've never thought to be roaming around. Ward.

He stepped back in shock, "W-Ward, what are you doing here?!" he exclaimed.

"The Hydra soldiers, they, they got me out. But I, uh, took care of them." Ward said, trying not to freak Fitz out. "But why are you out here, Fitz? It's not safe. Especially when there's a bomb."

"Oh, that." Fitz said, his voice weak. "It's in the lab. I was trying to disarm it, I couldn't. It was too much."

"And you just left it alone?!" Ward exclaimed.

"Another engineer is working on it, his name is Mack. But I don't think that he, uh, uh, can figure it out." Fitz replied. "Some kind of tech we've never seen. Hydra tech."

"Let me see it." Ward said suddenly. "I've probably dealt with it before."

Fitz gulped, not sure of what that meant. He eyed Ward's gun hesitantly, "Simmons would never let you in there. M-Mack would, he would, he would shoot you." he said. "And there's like six minutes left."

"I don't care if I get shot or not, Fitz. I really don't." Ward said. "I don't want any of you getting blown up. Just show me where it is."

Fitz saw the sincerity in Ward's weakened eyes, he was telling the truth. "F-Fine."

* * *

"_Lost in the sea of factions__, s__top asking why, surrender and fall in line.__Relief lies in bed with conformity__. __Open your eyes, awake from your slumber."_

* * *

"This is impossible." Mack said. "I've never seen this before. I have no clue how to diffuse it. Simmons, I'm sorry."

"At least you're trying, Mack." Simmons said softly. "I guess we're goners."

"I'll still try, but I don't know if I can do it in time. Again, I have no clue how to diffuse it."

"Let me try."

Simmons froze at the gruff voice. She turned around slowly. Fear laced through her body at the sight of the man at the door. Ward. "Y-You. H-How?" she muttered. "How?"

Fitz made his way into the room, "Hydra let him out, but he ran from them. Jemma, he wants to help. He may be able to, uh, diffuse the bomb."

Mack hesitantly looked at the prisoner, "You can?" he asked.

"It's a possibility that I might've seen that kind of bomb before with Garrett." Ward stated. "I can try."

Mack glanced at Simmons, unsure of what to say. Simmons looked back to the bomb, which the LED display read four minutes. She only nodded slightly. "I guess it, ah, won't hurt." Mack said.

Ward made his way to the bomb, looking at the mess of wires and the strange power source. He nodded slowly, "I've seen this once." he said. "And luckily I had to take it down. I can deactivate it."

"You can?" Fitz asked.

Ward nodded.

"Then do it."

Ward picked up the wire cutters and began examining the bomb. He started to mess with the wires, trying to figure out which one to cut and which one to leave alone. Three minutes.

Fitz, Simmons, and Mack stood off to the side, fear gripping their chests.

One wire was cut. Two minutes, twenty seconds.

Ward stared at the wires for what seemed like forever until he snipped another one. One minute, nine seconds.

Breathing started to become constricted, anxiety building.

Ward sniped one final wire before a beep sounded and he placed down the cutters.

"Is that it?" Fitz asked.

Ward nodded, "It's good for now, but the power source is unstable and will have to be disposed of later once Hydra is gone."

"We're not going to die?" Simmons asked.

"Yes."

Simmons was actually about to say thanks when Skye's voice cut through the air, "Fitz! Simmons! Mack!"

Ward froze, he didn't want Skye to find him.

Fitz, Simmons, and Mack all looked to the now-panicked Ward and then to the door. They saw Skye, Triplett, and Hunter (arm in a sling) walk in.

"Are you ok?" Skye asked, seeing them.

"Yeah," Fitz began, looking towards Ward. He didn't continue. Ward wasn't there. He was gone. He must've run off. "There was a bomb, and, and, Mack took care of it. Right, Mack?"

Mack shook his head, figuring it was better to lie and say it was him instead of Ward, "Yeah."

"A _bomb?!"_ Hunter exclaimed.

"At least it's gone, but Hydra is still here and even worse, Ward's loose." Triplett said.

Simmons eyed Fitz and Triplett, "Really?" she asked. "Where?"

"We don't know. But he's out and we've got to watch our backs before there's bullets in them." Skye said, her voice cold.

The three scientists didn't want to say that they already knew that Ward was out and that he was the one that had deactivated the bomb. Ward was now probably hiding off somewhere in the base, fearing for his life.

* * *

"_If I walk a thousand miles in your shoes, will you stop pretending to hate me? If love had it's way with you, I think we could make it alive."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'The Remnant' by Fades Away. Fitz finds Ward, Ward diffuses the bomb, Ward runs off when he hears Skye, Triplett, and Hunter coming. What will happen once he is found? You've just have to keep reading to find out! Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	9. Chapter 9 (Monster)

**Chapter Nine (Monster)**

* * *

"_You were my conscience, so solid, now you're like water. And we started drowning, not like we'd sink any further. But I let my heart go, it's somewhere down at the bottom. But I'll get a new one and come back for the hope that you've stolen."_

* * *

"I'll go find him." Skye said.

Triplett's face fell, "No, Skye, you can't." he said. "You said it yourself, he's dangerous."

Skye looked around at the agents that looked at her, "I know, but I already know that he won't hurt me. I'm probably the only one that can talk to him. He'll probably hurt any of you. It's better if it's me."

"And I thought you said that he's unpredictable?" Hunter asked, adjusting his sling. "How do you know that he won't hurt you?"

"I don't." Skye replied. "But I'm the only one that he will talk to. If we're going to get him back in Vault D, I'm the one that's going to have to do it."

Fitz gulped, he knew that what Skye said wasn't totally true. Ward opened up more with him than he did Skye. But Fitz didn't want to mention his talks with Ward in the heat of the moment.

"I can go find Ward and Triplett and Mack can go see if they can take down anymore Hydra soldiers. Lance can stay here with Fitzsimmons to get medical attention for his arm." Skye said. "I think that it's the best option to go since Coulson and May aren't here and we can't even get a hold of them right now."

Triplett hesitated, "Fine, but make sure that you're properly armed, Skye. Hunter's already hurt, we don't want you getting hurt either."

"I'll be fine Trip, I promise. And if anything happens, I'll yell. That'll get your attention."

"Fine. Mack, you got a weapon?" Triplett asked.

Mack picked up his ICER from the table, "This good enough?" he asked.

Triplett nodded, "Yep, come on. And Skye, watch your back. I know you're good, but there's no telling how many Hydra soldiers are still in the base. You've got to be really careful."

"Trip, again, I'll be fine."

Triplett nodded and the three agents left the room, leaving Hunter, Fitz, and Simmons to themselves.

Simmons turned to Hunter, "So what happened?" she asked.

Hunter took his arm gingerly out of the sling and started to remove his shirt, "I got shot." he said.

"By who?" Fitz asked.

"That Ward bloke."

Simmons looked to Fitz and then back to Hunter, "Ward? He shot you?"

Hunter nodded as Simmons started to look at his injured shoulder, "I came up on his in the hallway, tried to get him back to his cell, and he shot me. Didn't think that he was that crazy."

"He's…. Unpredictable." Simmons said, not mentioning that Ward was actually the one that had disarmed the bomb not too long ago and had saved the lives of everyone in the base.

"I got that much."

* * *

"_I'll stop the whole world, I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster eating us alive. Don't you ever wonder how we survive? Well now that you're gone, the world is ours."_

* * *

"Seriously," Skye muttered to herself. "Why now? Why would Ward escape now? He was probably in cahoots with the assailants. That's it."

Skye continued down the hallway, looking for any sign of Ward, but she hadn't found anything yet. And this was a big base. There was no telling where he could possibly be.

She didn't know where to look and he could be anywhere. Should she shoot first and ask questions later? Or should she at least see _why _he was out roaming around and had shot Hunter? She was thinking the latter.

He was a monster and she felt that he should be locked up for a long time, he didn't need to be roaming around in the base. He should be back in Vault D where he truly belonged.

Skye was too busy walking and lost in thought to hear the heavy footsteps behind her and the loading of a small gun. She didn't. Not until it was too late to notice anything. Not until the bullet ripped through her shoulder.

She dropped to her knees, too much in shock to first notice the pain. She turned her head slightly before collapsing fully to the ground to see the Hydra soldier with a gun behind her.

There was too much pain for her to reach for her ICER that lay next to her. The soldier was going to kill her, there would be more bullets ripping through her body. She groaned as she felt the warm blood seep through her clothes and onto the concrete floor. She blacked out just as she heard the all too familiar, gruff voice call out her name.

* * *

"_I'm only human, I've got a skeleton in me. But I'm not the villain, despite what you're always preaching. Call me a traitor, I'm just collecting your victims. And they're getting stronger. I hear them calling."_

* * *

Ward froze when he came up upon the Hydra soldier and the fallen body. The body was on its stomach, but he recognized the hair and the frame. Skye. His eyes shifted to the blood oozing out from underneath her.

She had been shot.

Anger overtook him. "Skye!" he yelled, gripping his own gun and running towards the Hydra solider.

The solider turned around fast and started to shoot at him. The bullets missed Ward, and he tackled the soldier to the ground.

He dug the tip of his gun into the man's arm, "What did you do to her?!" he growled. "Tell me!"

"Her shoulder." That was all the soldier could spit out before Ward knocked his head into the stone floor, knocking him out.

Ward left the unconscious man on the floor and ran over to Skye's side. He carefully turned her over onto her back, trying not to disturb her injured left shoulder. She was unconscious, the pain must've gotten to her.

Shouts echoed through the hallway. More Hydra soldiers.

What was he to do? Skye was unconscious and bleeding. He was afraid to take her back to Simmons, for she would think that he had done it.

He would have to find them somewhere to hide. There had to be a room somewhere where Hydra wouldn't find them, somewhere he could find a place for Skye to lay.

He took a breath and took Skye into his arms ever so carefully and turned. He started down the hallway with an unconscious Skye in his arms, hoping that he could find somewhere for them to hide until Hydra cleared out.

All he worried for was when Skye woke up, if she did, and saw him in the room. She would immediately attack him, despite everything. He was a monster to her, and nothing would change that.

* * *

"_I'll stop the whole world, I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster eating us alive. Don't you ever wonder how we survive? Well now that you're gone, the world is ours."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Monster' by Paramore. And I'll leave you here. Sorry I'm evil, I'm most likely Hydra for all of my cliffhangers. I know this story was supposed to center around Fitz and Ward, but this is part of Ward's story and Fitz will come into it in a chapter or two. But I'll leave you here. Keep reading and please follow, favorite, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan._  
_


	10. Chapter 10 (New Divide)

**Chapter Ten (New Divide)**

* * *

"_I remembered black skies, the lightning all around me. I remembered each flash as time began to blur. Like a startling sign that fate had finally found me. And your voice was all I heard, that I get what I deserve."_

* * *

Skye groaned, peeling her eyes open and shielding them against the blinding light. She tried to get up, but she couldn't. Her left side was heavy and damn did it hurt.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Skye froze at the gruff voice. She shot up, ignoring the intense pain.

There he sat in a chair not too far from the couch she had been laying on. Ward.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" she hissed. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

Ward flinched at the hatred seething from the young agent's voice, "I-I found you shot. A Hydra soldier had shot you in the shoulder. You were unconscious, on the ground. I, uh, knocked the soldier unconscious and brought you here, safe from harm." he tried to explain.

"I would've been ok without your help!" Skye hissed, standing to her feet, still ignoring the burning pain. "Does it look like I want help from you?! Does it?!"

Ward gulped, not sure of how to respond, "I-I don't know. You were unconscious, and bleeding, you've would've been killed if I didn't take care of that soldier."

"And why help now?" Skye asked, her voice lowered. "Why? Because the last time I looked to you for help, you ended up stabbing me in the back. You betrayed me, betrayed all of us. And why would I want your help now of all times? Why didn't you just stay in your cell?"

"The soldiers, they deactivated the barrier. Threatened to kill me. I couldn't stay there." Ward tried to explain. "I couldn't."

"Then you should've just stayed there and let them kill you." Skye said, sitting back down since the pain was becoming overwhelming. "You're better off dead." she hissed.

Ward sunk deeper into the chair, hurt by Skye's words. He had protected her, saved her from death, and what did he get? A death wish. She still wanted to see him dead in the ground. He didn't say a single word.

"What? You're going to stay silent? No, you should've just went ahead and killed yourself when you tried."

There it was again.

"And what would that accomplish?" Ward muttered. "All that would see is your pleasure in seeing me dead. That's all. I tried and failed. I'm not doing it anymore. I moved past that, Skye. What's the use of wishing death upon me when I just saved you from it yourself?" he asked.

"Turning this on me now, are you?"

"Look, I was in a dark time, Skye. I saw no other way out, that's the only way that I saw. I know I tried three times, and I failed three times. And I was wrong to do so. I should've thought of another way to deal with my demons other than trying to kill myself."

"And so you could just continue to rot in that cell?" Skye asked. "You're never getting out, no matter what. And I'll love to see what Coulson wants to do with you once he finds out that you've gotten out. He'll have your head.

And I'll watch every second of it. I don't know if I'll enjoy it, but I'll watch. You lost your freedom as soon as you decided to side with Garrett instead of us."

Ward stayed silent.

"You're a weak man, Ward. That's all I see you as. I don't even know why you tried to save me, I hate you. Everyone hates you and they'll never forgive you. You're all alone, with nowhere to go." Skye continued.

Ward stood slowly to his feet, his gun still hanging from his hand, "I know, I have nowhere to go. I have no one to turn to. There's nothing for me to do anymore." His gun hand raised. "I know I said that I was finished, but I'm not so sure about that. There's no one that cares about me, there's nowhere that I can go. What else is there for me to do? Nothing."

Skye's eyebrow raised, "Ward, what are you doing?" she asked, gripping her injured shoulder.

He placed the tip of the gun to his right temple, "Giving you want you want."

* * *

"_So give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean. Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes. Give me reason, to fill this hole. Connect the space between. Let it be enough to reach the truth that lie, across this new divide."_

* * *

"Fitz, can you give me the other roll of gauze?" Simmons asked, not taking her attention away from Hunter's shoulder wound. "Fitz?"

She looked, Fitz wasn't in the room.

"Lance, where did he go?" she asked, looking back to Hunter.

He shrugged, "I don't know, I didn't even notice that he left."

"But he doesn't need to be out there when Hydra is still out there!" Simmons exclaimed.

"Contact Trip." Hunter said. "That's all that we can do at the moment."

"Fine. Your wound will be fine for me to leave it long enough to contact him and Mack, Hunter. Give me a few minutes."

Fitz listened from around the corner. Good, they didn't know where he was at. He left to go find Ward on his own. He knew that he was the only one that Ward would truly talk to, not Skye. All he had to do was avoid Hydra soldiers and figure out where Ward was hiding out at.

He made his way down the hallways, fast and quiet, looking in every room for any sign of Ward.

Fitz had been walking for a while when he heard the bone-chilling sound of a gun being prepared to be fired, that one, single click. It echoed out of the room right in front of him.

He shot into the room, freezing as soon as he saw the figure that held the gun.

Skye sat frozen on the couch, her shoulder bleeding. And Ward stood, pain showing in his face, and the tip of his pistol pressed into his temple.

"Ward! No! Not after everything! Not now!" Fitz screamed, lurching forward, unaware of anything else around him.

A shot was fired. A bullet ripping soundlessly through the air.

A body fell to the ground.

The stench of blood filled the frozen air.

* * *

"_There was nothing inside, the memories left abandoned. There was nowhere to hide, the ashes fell like snow. And the ground caved in, between where we were standing. And your voice was all I heard, that I get what I deserved."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song used is 'New Divide' by Linkin Park. I'm evil again. Very evil. For a hint, check where it says 'Fitz... unaware of anything else around him.' That gives you a clue, think about it and maybe I'm not so evil. Everything is not what it seems. But I'm still evil and I'm living you here. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/ or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	11. Chapter 11 (Feed the Machine)

**Chapter Eleven (Feed the Machine)**

* * *

"_Turn around, they might be watching. And you never disappoint them. Hide your innocence before they see right through. You mustn't disappoint them."_

* * *

Fitz froze as he heard the collapse of a body behind him. He looked to see Ward pointed the gun in his direction, no longer positioned on his temple. Fitz turned and saw a Hydra soldier lying dead on the ground, blood pooling from underneath his body.

He looked back at Ward, "What the hell was that?!" he exclaimed.

"He was about to attack you." Ward replied simply, lowering the gun.

"No, not that." Fitz said. "What I saw when I was walking in here. You had that gun pressed up against your, uh, uh, temple. What the hell was that?"

Ward gulped, "I-I…" he didn't say anymore.

Fitz looked at Skye who was sitting on the couch, her shoulder still bleeding, clearly confused at what was happening. He looked back to Ward, "You were going to kill yourself, weren't you?" he asked. "Tell me that that's what that was."

"I-I…"

"Ward, suicide isn't going to solve anything. I thought that you, ah, already knew that. You already tried three times and failed, you learned that that wasn't going to work. Suicide isn't an escape, you're just surrendering to everything. You're feeding the machine that everyone wants to see run." Fitz said. "I know you're broken, you have problems, I do too. But do you see me, um, um, putting a gun to my head or a blade to my wrist?"

Ward shook his head, clearly regretting his attempt.

"That's right, I am learning to deal. You helped me when no one else would. And I thought it helped you too. Put the gun down, Ward. There's probably no Hydra left to fight."

Ward placed the gun down on the concrete floor.

"What did Skye say to you?" Fitz asked.

Ward looked down, not responding.

Fitz looked at Skye, "What did you say?"

"Nothing more than the normal stuff I say to him." Skye replied. "That I hate him and rather see him dead. I don't understand why he wants to try and help."

"Maybe he's changed, Skye." Fitz stated.

Skye raised an eyebrow, "And what's with your sudden care for him?" she asked. "Last time I checked you hated him as well."

Fitz gulped, "I-I, I've been going and talking to him over the past couple of weeks." he said. "And it's helped. It's helped me deal with my problems and it's helped him deal with his. But it hasn't solved it as you just saw. And I still lose it every now and then."

He took a breath, "If you would just talk to him,"

"Maybe I didn't want to talk to him!" Skye cut in. "Only when Coulson wanted me to!"

"No one talked to me either." Fitz said. "Everyone, including you, treated me like I was going to break at any second, like I was going to... Um, like I was going to lose my mind. You left me alone when I didn't need to be. Ward was the only one that would talk to me."

"Fitz, we didn't," Skye began.

"Don't even start that crap, Skye." Fitz cut in. "The two people that needed the most help were, ah, right underneath your noses and you didn't even, uh, um what's the phrase?" Fitz frowned, "Bat an eye. That's it. You didn't even bat an eye at us, you left us alone when we needed help."

"Fitz," Skye started. "I, we, didn't know." She looked to Ward, who was still standing in the same place not saying a word, "Ward,"

"What are you even going to say, Skye?" Ward muttered. "Just a few minutes ago you were wishing for my death, what now? I just want to see you all safe. I protected you from that soldier. I deactivated the bomb."

"That was you?" she asked, surprised.

Ward nodded, "Fitz wasn't able to and that other engineer wasn't able to either. But still, what are you going to say now?" he asked.

"I'm not sure." Skye said. "I really don't know. Honestly, I was exaggerating earlier. I took my hate out of proportion all because I was shocked to see you, I didn't know what to say. I still don't like you, but I did believe to be telling the truth. I did see that you were changing every time I saw you, I just didn't want to admit it."

She looked at Fitz, "And Fitz, I was always afraid of what to say to you because I didn't know how you would respond. Or how you would take it. That's why things were always kept from you, because we didn't know how you would handle it. We didn't know how it would make you feel."

"Well now you know." Fitz said. He now noticed her shoulder, "What happened? You're bleeding."

"Some Hydra goon shot me, and Ward, he… He saved me… And I refused to believe it. I could've been killed." Skye said, realizing what she had said earlier.

Ward stepped forward, "I think the soldier numbers are dwindling down, Skye. We need to get you to Simmons so you can get that wound patched up. That's the first thing we need to worry about."

* * *

"_You need the danger just to feel your heart beat. You need to die just to find your identity. You need the knife just to know that you can bleed. You need the pain now just to feel anything."_

* * *

Coulson and May finally made it back to the base after their mission that turned out to be a bust.

"I can't believe that the painting was destroyed before we got to it." Coulson grumbled.

"We'll find another clue, Phil." May said. "You just need to rest now."

"Fine."

The two started towards Coulson's office, but stopping seeing two bodies.

May ran over to them and checked them, "They're Hydra." she said. "Unconscious, most likely ICER."

"Hydra's in the base?" Coulson asked, eyes wide.

"Damn. Where's the others?" May asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" Coulson asked. "They're probably hiding if they're not dead or captured."

"We'll find them." May said. "There's no way that they're gone."

The two started running down the hallway, hoping that the rest of the team was still alive. But they didn't know that Hydra had been taken care of. The rest of the soldiers had retreated and the team was safe. But they still didn't know what they were going to see. Ward.

* * *

"_We fall in line. We live the lie. Give up, give up and feed the machine. It grows inside, nowhere to hide. Give up, give up and feed the machine. Give up, give up and feed the machine."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Feed the Machine' by Red. Not going to say much other than that Ward is alive and actually shoots a Hydra solider sneaking up on Fitz and Fitz gets mad at Ward for trying to give up. And that there's a really weird AoS werewolf story I'm wanting to write. That's probably not going to work. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	12. Chapter 12 (Creature)

**Chapter Twelve (Creature)**

* * *

"_The ship is sinking, and the captain is dead. Make haste for the deck, farewell dear friends. Find Jonah inside, then bring me his head. Sound all the alarms. Brace for the end."_

* * *

Ward and Fitz brought Skye into the lab, to where Simmons ran over. Triplett and Mack were back and drew their guns on Ward.

"What's he doing here?" Triplett asked.

"He's good, for now." Skye said. "I don't think that he will do anything at the moment." She winced at Simmons pulled up her shirt sleeve to look at her bleeding shoulder.

"Never mind that." Simmons said. "What the bloody hell happened?" she asked.

"We couldn't find you. Where were you?"

"I got shot by one of the remaining Hydra soldiers. I fell unconscious." she explained.

"I found her." Ward continued. "The soldier was still there. I knocked him out and got Skye to safety. There were some, um, complications though."

"Like what?" Triplett asked.

Ward didn't mention his attempt at his life, but mentioned the little dispute. "There was a lot of yelling. Skye didn't calm down until Fitz came in." He didn't mention anymore.

"I didn't believe that he would save me. Fitz convinced me, slightly, that Ward had changed." Skye said as Simmons went to get supplies for her arm.

Mack narrowed his eyes, "And how is that?" he asked.

"Jemma knows this already, but I had been talking to Ward for the past few weeks." Fitz admitted.

Hunter's face fell, "Why?" he asked.

"He was, uh, the only person that would talk to me. The only one… The only one that wouldn't look at me weird or act like I would… Like I would break at any moment." he explained. "We would talk, try to help each other out. We were… We were both ignored when we needed help."

"Fitz, we'll deal with this after everything, okay?" Skye said, honesty in her voice. "First May and Coulson need to get back and then we need to make sure that Hydra is completely gone from the building. Then I promise we'll talk. It's just now is not a very good time. Is that good?"

Fitz softly nodded.

"How is her wound?" Ward asked, looking to see what Simmons was doing.

"It's going to take a while to clean and bandage, a lot of dried blood." Simmons pointed with her free hand, "There's a chair where you can sit, if you like."

Ward nodded and went over to the metal chair and sat down. The room remained in silence, no one spoke to each other. No one looked at Ward, except for the occasional glance from Skye or May.

It continued for a few minutes, until a voice cut through the silence that made Ward's bones freeze. The voice he was dreading to hear. Coulson.

* * *

"_Glorify yourselves at the alter. Praise the rebel soul called man. Tie down the priest to the stone. Bring forth his robe. Make way for the blasphemy."_

* * *

"What the hell is going on here?!" Coulson exclaimed, running in along with May. "Skye, what the hell happened?!"

His eyes drifted to Ward, who sat frozen in the chair. Coulson and May both froze, drawing out their guns and pointing them straight at Ward. "What the hell are you doing here?!" Coulson growled. "How are you out?"

Ward rose slowly, holding his hands up to show that he was unarmed, "Sir, I have nothing to do with any of this. A small Hydra team broke in and attacked. They took down my cell's security and burst in, wanted me to come with them. I said no and they threatened to kill me. I temporarily took them out. I couldn't stay there, I ran."

"What happened to Skye?" Coulson asked. He now noticed Hunter's slinged arm, "And Hunter?"

"Sir, I shot Hunter." Ward admitted. "I was in a hurry. There was a bomb."

Coulson's eyes widened, "A bomb?" he asked.

"It's gone now. But later I found Skye unconscious on the ground, shot in the shoulder. There was a Hydra soldier near her. I took him down and got Skye to safety." Ward continued. "Sir, I promise that's what happened. I had nothing to do with this. I do admit to shooting Hunter, that's my fault. But I had nothing to do with the attack, or Skye being shot."

May narrowed her eyes, "I don't believe it."

Skye took a breath, "Sir, he is telling the truth. Believe it or not. A Hydra soldier did shoot me. I woke up some time later and Ward was in the room. He didn't shoot me."

Coulson took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair, "Ward, follow me to my office, now. May, Triplett, come with me in case he tries anything funny."

Ward nodded slightly and followed the three out of the lab.

Fitz stood, watching Simmons continue patching up Skye. He was worried for Ward. There was no telling what Coulson would do. And Fitz was afraid.

* * *

"_Disconnect this catastrophic, symbiotic lie they sold to hack away the branches from the vine. Away with this hubristic, narcissistic, self-indulgent, deviation. Burn, burn, burn, burn."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Creature' by Fades Away. Short chapter. I'm afraid this story will soon be drawing to a close, unless someone can get me a really good plot twist that will further fuel the story for several more chapters. Can someone please? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	13. Chapter 13 (Hymn for the Missing)

**Chapter Thirteen (Hymn for the Missing)**

* * *

"_Tried to walk together, but the night was growing dark. Thought you were beside me, but I reached and you were gone. Sometimes I heard you calling from some lost and distant shore. I hear you crying softly for the way it was before."_

* * *

Fitz looked on as Simmons wrapped a bandage around Skye's shoulder. He really wasn't paying attention though, his mind was busy worrying about what Coulson would do to Ward.

"Alright, Skye. That should do it." Simmons said. "I'll check it in a few hours. You're lucky that it was only your shoulder by what Ward said."

Skye smiled and stood to her feet, "Thanks, Jemma. But I have one question."

"What?"

"Was it Ward who really disabled the bomb?" Skye asked.

"Yes, it was. Fitz couldn't do it. I thought he could, but the stress of the situation was too much for him and he stormed off. And Mack couldn't do it either. That's when he showed up. Mack and I were hesitant to let Ward look at it, but he was insistent on looking at it. Luckily, he had seen and dealt with the bomb before. He had it diffused in no time." Simmons looked at Fitz, "Fitz, doesn't that bomb need to be disposed of?" she asked.

Fitz looked down, "Yeah, sure, I'll get to it." he mumbled.

Skye frowned, "Fitz, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know." he replied solemnly. "Everything."

Hunter raised an eyebrow from his chair, "Everything?"

"You're worried about Ward, aren't you?" Mack asked.

Fitz nodded softly, "He's changed, and I think that, ah, you all saw that. But Coulson didn't. Coulson didn't see him disarm the bomb, Coulson didn't see him, um, rescue Skye. Coulson hasn't seen how he's changed. I doubt that he hasn't even talked to him in a while."

Skye took a breath, "Like I said earlier, I still really don't like him. But after all of this, he does seem different. Different in a good way though. But I still don't like it though. It's hard to explain. And if he's really helped you, that's good too, Fitz."

"He has, no thanks to you." Fitz mumbled.

Skye sighed, "Fitz, once we can get Coulson, May, and Trip with us, we'll all talk. Right now is still not a good time. Once we find out what's going to happen with Ward, we'll all talk."

* * *

"_Where are you now? Are you lost? Will I find you again? Are you alone? Are you afraid? Are you searching for me? Why did you go? I had to stay. Now I'm reaching for you. Will you wait, will you wait? Will I see you again?"_

* * *

Coulson pointed at the chair in front of his desk once they got into his office, "Sit." he stated coldly.

Ward nodded, slinking down into the chair.

"Now, I have many questions." Coulson began.

"I promise that none of this was my fault." Ward said. "Hydra came for me, I fought back. I learned that there was a bomb, and I went to track it down. I disarmed it and ran back off before Skye, Triplett, and Hunter could find me."

"But you shot Hunter." May said.

"I freaked out, didn't know what to do when he confronted me." Ward explained. "And I was in a hurry."

"What about Skye?" Triplett asked.

"Like I said earlier, I found her unconscious and the Hydra soldier that had shot her was standing above her. I knocked him out and took Skye to safety. I didn't get her medical help mainly because I was afraid to. I didn't know what Hunter, Triplett, or Mack would do if they saw me again." Ward continued.

"One question. Why?" Coulson asked. "Why would you do all of this?"

"Coulson, I've changed over the past while." Ward replied. "All I want to do now is help. I didn't want to see anyone die, so I disarmed the bomb. I didn't want to see Skye die, so I took care of the soldier and got her to safety. And if you're questioning my loyalty, I said no to Hydra when they told me to go with them."

"So they were only after you?" May asked.

"I think so."

Coulson and May looked at each other. Coulson looked back to Ward, "If you would excuse us for just a second. Triplett, watch him."

The two went out into the hallway.

"Coulson, what is this about?" May asked.

"What do we do with him?" Coulson asked.

"What, with Ward? He goes back where he belongs, his cell." May responded. "What else are you planning to do with him?"

"I don't know. After this, it seems like he really wants to help, it's just that I can come to believe it. This could all be a ploy for him to escape." Coulson replied. "It's just that I don't know."

"Then you don't make the decision of what to do with him." May said.

"What?"

"I think you should be really asking the others about it." May explained.

Coulson raised an eyebrow, "What are you saying?" he asked.

"I mean that we weren't here during all of this, Phil. They were the ones that saw what he did. So I'm saying we should be asking them what should be done with Ward."

Coulson nodded, "I guess that that sounds good." he said. "But in the meantime, he goes back to his cell until something can be figured out."

The two walked back into the room.

Coulson turned to Ward, "For the meantime, you will be going back to your cell." he said. "But there will be talks between May and I and the others. If you really want to help, we'll find a way that just doesn't involve you giving us information."

Ward blinked, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Possibly, your way out." Coulson replied.

Triplett shot Coulson a strange look, but didn't say anything.

"What?"

"This could be possibly your way out. Your way at redeeming yourself. Of course it will be a long way though. You really have to prove yourself. But first, all of the others have to agree on it and I have to come up with a clear plan for it. But in the meantime, like I said, you will be staying in your cell still." Coulson explained. "Do you understand?"

Ward nodded, "Yes, sir." he said.

Coulson gave a slight smile, something he hadn't shown towards the man in a long time. "Good. I'll be talking to the others right after you're dropped off at Vault D."

* * *

"_You took it with you when you left. These scars are just a trace. Now it wander lost and wounded. This heart that I misplaced."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_** I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Hymn for the Missing' by Red. Now all of that happened. It seems that Coulson wants to give Ward a chance. Now I know it will probably not happen like this in the show, but I'm writing it like this. This twist will probably double the story in size since it now includes Ward's redemption. Don't worry, I won't forget about Fitz. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	14. Chapter 14 (Start Again)

**Chapter Fourteen (Start Again)**

* * *

"_And I remember everything, everything I loved. I gave it away like it wasn't enough. All the words I said and all you forgive. How could I hurt you again?"_

* * *

Coulson walked into the lab once more, ready to ask the team about his plan. To see if they would be on board with it.

"So where's Ward?" Skye asked.

"He's back in his cell, for now." Coulson replied.

Hunter raised an eyebrow, "For now? What does that mean?" he asked.

"Yeah, what does that mean?" Simmons added. "You're not making sense."

"I was thinking," Coulson began. "After taking everything that has happened today into consideration, and talking to him, I was thinking that I could give him another chance."

Fitz furrowed his eyebrows, "A chance?" he asked.

"Meaning he's out of Vault D, working strictly under my orders, and under close watch." Coulson explained. "Seeing that he really wants to help more than just giving us information every now and then. Well, he'll still do that. But he'll be doing missions. Nothing big, and nothing alone. He'll be with at least two others at all times on the missions I send him on."

"And is May ok with this?" Hunter asked.

"She really didn't say much, other than for me to see if you guys were fine with it." Coulson replied.

"I don't see any problem with it." Fitz said quietly.

"As long as he's watched." Mack added.

Simmons looked towards Fitz and then back to Coulson, but she only nodded.

"He better not shoot me again." Hunter mumbled.

Skye took a breath, "I'm not quite sure if he's to be trusted like this so soon." she said. "I know that he's changed, but we can't be quite sure yet. But if he's going to be watched carefully, this could be fine. I know he saved my life most likely, but I still don't know what to think yet. So, I don't know."

Coulson sighed and nodded, "Don't worry, he will be watched carefully. He'll even have his own tracking bracelet. No weapons other than ICER for a long time. I know you guys can't believe that I'm doing this. Me neither. But after today, I think he can do more than sit in a cell all day.

But as of today, after hearing what you have said about it, I'm going ahead with my plan. I'll take him out of Vault D and to his own personal, private quarters." Coulson continued. "But he only gets one chance. If he throws that chance away, if he fails, he'll go straight back to the Vault."

* * *

"_What if I let you in? What if I make it right again?What if I give it up? What if I want to try? What if you take a chance? What if I learn to love? What if, what if we start again?"_

* * *

Ward looked up as he heard the Vault door opened and footsteps echoed down the stairway. Coulson came up to the barrier, tablet in hand.

The older man smiled slightly, "Good news, Ward, mostly everyone is on board with my plan."

"Mostly everyone?" Ward asked.

"Skye is a little hesitant, she isn't quite sure yet how to feel yet about you again." Coulson replied. "But yet again, everyone was a little hesitant."

"Of course they are." Ward said under his breath.

"But good new overall, you're out of here."

"Really?"

"Believe it or not, yes." Coulson said, deactivating the barrier.

Ward stood to his feet and walked to Coulson's side.

"You know, you better not blow this." Coulson said. "I'm giving you one chance, if you blow it, you're done. Back to the Vault. You understand?" he asked.

Ward nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Good, give me your arm." Coulson said.

Ward frowned, "Okay?" He gave Coulson his right arm. He heard a click and looked at his wrist. A small, silver bracelet now dangled from his wrist. "A tracking device, sir?" he asked.

"Did you really think that I was going to let you go undetectable?" Coulson asked with a slight smile. "That will allow me to know where you are 24/7. Coulson motioned to the stairs, "I'll show you where you are to be staying, a small, private room. Don't worry, there's a bathroom, good bed, and clothes. Much better than this place."

Ward swallowed, "I hope it is." he muttered as the two went up the stairs.

Coulson led Ward to his quarters, "Now it should have everything you need, clean up and put clothes on. After that, you are to report straight to my office immediately. And I'll know if you don't." he stated. "Do you understand? If this isn't something you can follow, you can go straight back to the Vault right now. Understand?"

Ward nodded, "Yes, sir. I'll be there."

Coulson smiled, "Good. Don't mess up on this. If you do, will be really disappointed."

Ward went inside and closed the door. He looked around. Coulson around, it was better than the Vault. There was a nice bed, a small TV, and a dresser. A door on the other side of the room led to a small bathroom.

He went into the bathroom and slipped off his prison garb, turning on the shower. He stepped into the hot stream, sighing as the hot water washed over him. For the past few months he had barely had anything less than a cold shower. Nothing more. This was heaven to him.

After a while, he got out and dried off. He went into the room and got clothes from the dresser. They were actually his old clothes, why they were there he didn't know. Coulson had just made the decision to release him today, when did he get his clothes? Ward shook his head and slipped his clothes on.

His clothes for the day consisted of black pants, a black shirt, and a black jacket. And don't forget black boots. His signature outfit. The boots felt weird on his feet since he hadn't worn shoes for the past few months. But it felt nice to be wearing actual clothes again.

He opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, ready to go to Coulson's office for whatever he wanted him for. Hopefully today was the day he could truly start again. And hopefully he wouldn't mess up.

* * *

"_All this time, I can make it right with one more try. Can we start again? In my eyes, you can see it now. Can we start again, can we start again?_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Start Again' by Red. This time: Ward gets his chance at redemption. But will he be able to keep his promise? Next time: Fitz finally confronts the team about their treatment towards him and Ward over the pass few months. Good, right? Probably not. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	15. Chapter 15 (Resurrect the Sun)

**Chapter Fifteen (Resurrect the Sun)**

* * *

"_Hearing the echoes, madness grows. The years of my sinning teach me to show a heartless feeling of pain and regret. These wounds were opened, like lines in the sand. The world is sleeping, but they still have hope so…."_

* * *

Ward knocked on Coulson's open office door. Coulson looked up and his work and waved him in.

Coulson pointed to a chair in front of his desk, "Sit." he said. "How does it feel to be in normal clothes for the first time in forever?" he asked as Ward sat down.

"To be honest, the shoes feel a little weird, but other than that it's fine." Ward said. "What's the reason you needed me in here for?" he asked.

"To really go over the details of your release." Coulson said. "And there are a good few of them."

Ward shrugged, "Go ahead."

"One, no leaving the base without somebody else with you. And that doesn't mean Skye or Fitz. Like me, or May. Two, no solo missions, you'll be paired up with at least two others. Three, that tracking bracelet is to stay on at all times. Four, and the biggest one, you have one chance. If you goof up in any way I find, well bad, you're back down to the Vault." Coulson explained.

Ward raised an eyebrow, 'That's all?" he asked. "I expected more."

"Oh, there are." Coulson stated with a slight smile, "We just don't have time to go over them all."

"Don't have time? What do you mean?" he asked.

"Remember, Fitz wants to talk to us all." Coulson said. "About how you and him were treated over the past couple of months."

Ward nodded.

"I know that this was a short meeting, and there are other things to talk about. That'll have to wait until later." Coulson said. "But I don't want to keep Fitz waiting any longer. I think this talk means pretty much everything to him."

Ward nodded once more, "Yes sir, I think it does." he said. "And slightly me as well." he muttered to himself.

* * *

"_I pray for mourning, I swear I'll never let you die! These saints within us, can bring this moment back to life! And my heart's held high with this battle cry, I'll march on! On the horizon, we will resurrect the sun!"_

* * *

Ward followed Coulson into the lab where the others were still at, waiting for the two. Coulson knocked on the open door as he came in, "We're here." he said. He looked to Fitz, who was standing quietly off to the side, "Fitz, you can go ahead. What is the big problem?"

Fitz looked at the ground, "How you were, uh, basically ignoring me and Ward. You payed us no attention, I think, when we needed it the most. I needed help with my disability and Ward needed help with his, uh, well, mental issues. We both needed help and we never got the proper help." he explained.

Coulson nodded, "Fitz, and we're so sorry. We were so busy with everything, we just didn't think that we had the time. And Ward, we didn't know how to feel about you, most of us had rather see you die than talk to you. We didn't want anything to do with you. I wish I, we, could've seen that you both needed help bad, much, much sooner. We just didn't see it."

Simmons spoke up, "Fitz, I was busy as well. But once you said something, I did start to help."

"I'll give you that, and Mack helped as well, and Triplett and May a little bit too." Fitz said quietly. "But Ward was the only one that would really talk to me, without, ah, ah, looking at me weird."

Ward took a breath, "I didn't think that it would help, with the both of us. I was ready to give up, ready to end it all. And when Fitz started coming, it lightened things up. I had something to look forward to."

Skye gave a quick glance at Ward, but didn't say anything.

"It helped me too." Fitz added in. "When no one else but really one or two would help.

Coulson nodded, "I'll see that this doesn't happen anymore. And Fitz, when you need help, say something. Don't be afraid to speak up. That goes for you too, Ward." he said.

May nodded in response, "Staying quiet about something may be the worst thing for you, say something."

Fitz gave a slight smile, "I-I will. Thanks for, ah, understanding."

"Fitz, it's just that it was such a bad time and our minds were clouded." Coulson said. "I'll make sure it won't happen again." He looked at everyone, "Alright everyone, back to whatever you were doing. There's a few missions coming up and I want everyone to be ready." He looked at May and the two walked out of the room.

Skye now stood and walked over to Ward, "So Coulson let you put on actual clothes." she said.

Ward shrugged, "Feels a whole lot better than prison clothes."

"I don't even think that they were even prison clothes." Skye said. "But nevermind that, what's Coulson's big plan for you?" she asked.

"Didn't really get into much detail since Fitz wanted to talk." Ward said. "But I think that really helped him." He looked at Fitz who was currently talking with Mack and Hunter. "But from what Coulson said is that I'll do missions. Nothing big for a long while, and I have to be with at least two others on the missions."

"What does 'nothing big' mean?" Skye asked.

"I don't know. I guess small, perhaps recon, missions for a while. I know it's going to take a long time to get back firmly on anyone's good side. A very long time." Ward said.

"You knew that coming out."

Ward nodded, twisting the tracking bracelet on his wrist, "I did, and all I want to do now is help. I'm done with everything else. And that's behind me. I want to forget about it, but I can't."

Skye didn't respond.

Ward was about to say something, but Fitz came up, looking a little happier.

"So," Fitz began. "You're out for good?" he asked.

"Conditionally." Ward responded.

Fitz raised an eyebrow, "So what Coulson, ah, told us earlier?"

"Basically. And if I mess up the one chance he's giving me, I go straight back down to the Vault."

"Then don't mess up. Not after all of this." Fitz said with a slight smile.

"I promise I won't. I won't betray you anymore, not on my own will."

* * *

"_For the darkness has broken out homes, all that we wished for. Like fools on a rope. I can feel it, the desperate control, a burning passion. When love takes its toll. Yet souls have a reason and I won't let go!"_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Resurrect the Sun' by Black Veil Brides. Sorry for the wait and kind of boring chapter. And sorry if the chapter wasn't too great, I wrote it tired, with a headache, and very anxious. I have the PSAT tomorrow. But as a treat, there's some SHIELD level foreshadowing thrown in there at the end. Kudos if you find it. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	16. Chapter 16 (Warriors)

**Chapter Sixteen (Warriors)**

* * *

"_As a child, you would wait and watch from far away. But you always knew that you'll be the one to work while they all play. In youth, you'd lay, awake and night and scheme. Of all the thing that you would change, but it was just a dream!"_

* * *

(Approximately A Week Later)

Coulson threw a folder down onto his desk, looking at Ward.

Ward raised an eyebrow, "What's this?" he asked.

"Your first assignment as a 'free' man." Coulson replied. "Your first mission."

"Really?" Ward asked. "What is it?"

"Only a simple scout mission." Coulson explained. "You will go along with Triplett, Hunter, and Skye to scout out a reported Hydra base at the given coordinates." he continued. "Nothing more, nothing less. As soon as you figure out whether it is Hydra or not, you four are to immediately come back here. Do not engage any Hydra soldier unless you have to."

"And that's all?" Ward asked.

Coulson nodded, "Like I said, nothing more, nothing less. And remember, I'm not sending you on big missions for a long time, not until there's more trust between us. And that's going to take a while."

Ward nodded slightly in response.

"Go gear up or what not and meet the others in the hangar in fifteen." Coulson stated. "Triplett has the full details on the mission since he's the one technically in charge of the group. He'll report straight to me whether you were ok or not." He looked Ward straight into his eyes, "Do you understand?" he asked coldly, not playing around.

Ward nodded, "Y-Yes sir." he stammered.

"Good, go get geared up and meet the others. Don't mess up on your first try."

* * *

"_Here we are, don't turn away now. We are the warriors that built this town. Here we are, don't turn away now. We are the warriors that built this town from dust."_

* * *

And about twenty five minutes later, Ward met up with Triplett, Hunter, and Skye, all in mission gear by a small transport jet.

"Took you long enough." Hunter grumbled.

"Sorry, Fitz stopped me in the hallway and I couldn't get away." Ward said, a slight smile on his face.

"At least he's been doing a little better since that talk last week." Skye said. "And that we finally realized what we all have been doing to him. And you." she added, looking at Ward.

"Never mind that." Ward said. "Where are we headed?" he asked.

"Some middle of nowhere place in Oklahoma." Triplett responded. "Reports say an old factory was suddenly restored a few months ago and odd people have been seen going in and out the past few weeks. A lot of them black-clad soldiers. Coulson got suspicious and wanted us to check it out. No fighting though, unless we have to. We just have to see if Coulson's suspicions are right or not." he explained.

"How long is it going to take to get there?" Hunter asked, cracking his neck.

"About two hours by jet. It's not a long mission overall. It's just getting there, and getting to the factory unseen." Triplett replied. "Coulson says it should be a relatively easy mission."

"And when was the last time he was right about a mission being 'easy'?" Hunter asked. "Because I remember last week he said that and we almost got our asses blown off."

"So it went south." Skye said. "But this is just scouting. Hopefully."

Triplett sighed, "Let's just go on so we can get back here at a decent time."

* * *

"_The time will come, when you'll have to rise. Above the rest, improve yourself. Your spirit never dies. Farewell, I've gone to take my throne above. Don't weep for me cause this will be the labor of my love."_

* * *

They arrived near the assumed Hydra factory a few hours later. Triplett landed the jet in a nearby field where they wouldn't be detected.

"Alright, grab your gear and head out." he announced. "Let's make this quick and simple."

Skye noticed that Ward was slipping an ICER into his belt holster, "Coulson's allowing to have an ICER?" she asked. "I'm surprised he's even allowing that."

"I'm not going to shoot you, Skye." Ward said. "I have to have something to protect myself and you with."

Skye shook her head, noticing that Hunter and Triplett were already out of the jet, "Come on." she said.

The two followed Hunter and Triplett out into the grass and they walked to the edge of a small cliff. Below was the medium-sized factory.

"I don't see anyone." Hunter said.

"It's because it's all the way down there, Lance." Skye said. "We need binoculars."

"Don't worry, I've got them." Triplett said, pulling out a small pair. He looked down at the factory, which had small, black figures running about. After a while, his face twisted, "Yep, I think Coulson's right." he said. "Looks like black-clad soldiers. Hydra most likely."

"So they just have a random factory out in the middle of nowhere?" Ward asked.

"Probably a weapons factory." Hunter said. "Let me see."

Triplett handed Hunter the binoculars.

"What if there's something in there?" Ward asked. "Something big. That's why it's out in the middle of nowhere."

"Perhaps, but that isn't what we're determining now." Triplett said. "At least we know it's Hydra. We'll have to come back later probably."

"Uh, guys?" Hunter's voice piped up.

"What?" Skye asked.

"I think they know we're here." Hunter said, putting down the binoculars and pointing towards the factory.

"What?" Triplett asked, taking the binoculars. He looked. The soldiers were all pointing up towards them and running their way. "Oh, damn." he muttered. "There goes our quiet mission."

"Do we run?" Skye asked.

"Of course we do!" Triplett exclaimed. "Come on!"

The four agents spun around and darted off towards the direction of their jet. The sound of a wailing alarm penetrated the air and the sound of gunfire followed.

After a few minutes of running, they made it back into the jet.

"Go!" Hunter screamed. "We don't want them getting us!"

Triplett nodded and ran into the cockpit, and they were soon into the air. They were in safety, but they were wondering what could possibly be in that factory. And what it would possibly mean to them.

* * *

"_Here we are, don't turn away now. We are the warriors that built this town. Here we are, don't turn away now. We are the warriors that built this town from dust."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Warriors' by Imagine Dragons. Not the best chapter, but leads straight into tomorrow's. Tomorrow is the big one. What is in that factory, and what does it mean to the team? Darkness is coming and it's not good. Think to last chapter's foreshadowing if you caught it. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	17. Chapter 17 (Lie to Me)

**Chapter Seventeen (Lie to Me)**

* * *

"_Tell yourself it's over now. Try to kill a broken vow. If only you could find the strength to kill the memories. These empty pages never turn. Your lit the flame and let them burn. You tried to bury me beneath so deep but what lies beneath? Will your hope die alone, will you fade on your own? Can you just turn away and let me go?"_

* * *

(Two Days Later)

The group consisting of Ward, Skye, Triplett, and Hunter returned to the Hydra factory. Coulson had ordered them to investigate the factory after reporting back to him that it was Hydra. Coulson thought the factory was just plain suspicious. And they were to find whatever they could.

They made their way down the steep cliff. Once they were at the bottom, Hunter looked around and frowned.

"This place was crawling with soldiers the other day." he said. "Where are they now?"

"That is strange." Triplett stated. "There's no one. Maybe they're all inside?"

"Or they're gone after seeing us." Ward said. "They probably abandoned the place for safe measures."

"Or that."

"So do we go inside and look around?" Hunter asked.

"If I could find some kind of computer system, I can extract data from it." Skye stated. "Get whatever we can get from it."

"Good." Triplett said. "Go in quietly, in case there's still anyone here."

The other three nodded in response, and they headed inside.

They came to a completely empty hallway. Rooms that lined it were in a mess, as though someone had took everything they could find in a hurry.

"They must've fled." Hunter said. "Looks like they got whatever they could and ran. There has to be some kind of computer here still if they ran in such a hurry. Me and Skye can try and go find a hook up or what not."

"Good. Ward and I will stay here and scout the place. Stay together and do it quick if you can." Triplett explained. "We don't want anything bad happening."

Skye and Hunter nodded and went down the hallway, disappearing from Triplett and Ward's line of sight.

Triplett turned to Ward, "Now, let's look around this place." he said. "To see if there's possibly anything we can bring back."

Ward nodded and the two started down the hallway, looking for anything. After a few minutes, Ward stopped and looked around. "Do you hear that?" he asked.

"No, what is it?"

"I don't know, sounds like footsteps." Ward said. "And I don't think that it's Skye or Hunter. And I think it's coming from around the corner." he said, pointing down the hall. "I can go look."

Triplett hesitated, "Ok, I'll stay here and watch out for the other two. Come right back though, and don't tell Coulson that I let you go off by yourself."

"It's just down the hallway."

* * *

"_Lie to me if you can feel that this love was never real. Walk away if you can learn to love again. Lie to me, if you can leave. I'll still be here when you see. You're not alone, and you don't have to run again. And leave me in denial."_

* * *

(Fifteen Minutes Later)

Skye and Hunter came back with a flash drive filled with Hydra information that they could find on the local servers. They found Trip, a grave look on his face and something small and silver in his hand.  
"We got some information." Skye said, holding up the flash drive. "And a good bit too." She frowned, "What's wrong?" she asked.

Triplett handed Skye a crumbled piece of paper.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Read it." he said, voice laced with ice.

'_Don't even bother looking for me. It won't matter.'_

Skye's heart froze, she recognized the messy scrawl. "Ward wrote this." she said quietly.

"He's gone." Triplett said. "He left." He held up the small, silver object. Ward's tracking bracelet.

"He ran off?" Hunter asked.

"More like abandoned us it seems." Triplett said. "He went around the corner to investigate something he heard. He never came back. Went to look and found this and the note."

Skye shook her head, "N-No, he wouldn't. He's changed. He wouldn't." he said, denial in her voice.

"Skye, how did we even think that we could go ahead and trust him now?" Triplett said. "It's only been two weeks since Coulson let him out."

"He used us to get away?" Hunter asked.

"N-No." Skye muttered. "H-He wouldn't."

"Face it Skye, it's all right here. He betrayed us again. He left. He's gone." Triplett said. "Don't let the denial get to you. I knew he was probably lying to us about wanting to help. After seeing what he did during the Uprising, I couldn't believe that he wanted to help."

"So we contact Coulson now?" Hunter asked.

"Unfortunately."

Skye stayed quiet, too distraught to say anything.

"At least we got the data we needed. I'll contact Coulson. I wouldn't let you do it, Lance. And Skye, she can't handle it right now." he said, noting Skye's ghost-like appearance.

Triplett walked down the hall, activating his comm. After a while he spoke into it, "Coulson?"

"_Triplett? How's the mission going?" _

"We got Hydra data, but as far as I'm concerned."

"_What's the matter?"_

Triplett took a breath, "You trusted him too soon." he said.

"_What? Ward?"_

"He's gone. He left us in the dirt."

"_Son of a… Are you sure? This is serious."_

"Yes sir, I am. Found his tracking bracelet and a note saying to 'not look for him because it won't matter'. I don't know what that means, but all I could tell was that he left used. Lied to us so he could get out and escape."

Coulson cussed, "_Get back here with whatever you have. And we'll deal with this. I can't believe that I trusted him. That bastard." _He hung up.

Triplett went back to Hunter and Skye, "We've got to get back. Coulson wants to see us as soon as we can get there."

Hunter nodded, but Skye didn't respond.

As far as they knew, Ward had stabbed them in the backs and had abandoned them. But did they really know everything?

* * *

"_All your secrets crawl inside. You keep them safe, you let them hide. You feel them drinking in your pain to kill the memories. So close your eyes and let it hurt, the voice begins to stir. Are you reminded of all you used to be? Can you just turn away and let me go?"_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Lie to Me (Denial)' by Red. Pinnacle chapter! Ward seems to betray the team again, leaving them behind. But is everything truly what it seems? Is it? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	18. Chapter 18 (Madness in Me)

**Chapter Eighteen (Madness in Me)**

* * *

"_Just one spark is all it takes. I tried so hard but it all goes up in flames. This is not the way that I thought that I would turn out to be. Tried to get but all that I got was more insanity. Broken everything that I touched, just gone against me. I can't get away."_

* * *

(Some Time Later Elsewhere.)

Ward groaned, peeling his eyes open. Harsh, white light pierced his eyes. He tried to move, but he couldn't. He was cuffed to some kind of contraption, facing a white wall.

Everything came back to him like a tidal wave, fast and strong.

_He went around the corner, to investigate the footsteps that he had heard. He stopped dead in his track, five Hydra soldiers stood in his way. There was no way around them. _

"_Give us your weapon and come with us." one ordered. "Now. Or this place goes up in flames along with your friends in it."_

_Ward complied and gave one of the soldiers his ICER. One got behind him and nudged him with the tip of his gun, pushing him forward. _

"_Come with us."_

_They led him down the hallway for a bit, until the main soldier stopped and turned to him, "Give me your arm."_

"_What?"_

"_Give me your arm."_

_Ward gingerly held out his arm, scared and confused to what exactly was going on. The soldier did something to the tracking bracelet on his arm and it came off. Ward frowned, this wasn't good._

_The soldier handed him a piece of paper and a pen, "Write a note." he ordered. _

"_What? Write a note? What the hell is this?" Ward asked. _

"_Don't question it. Write a note. Something along the lines of 'Don't bother looking, it won't matter'." the soldier snapped. _

_Ward's stomach froze, he knew what they were wanting him to do. They were wanting him to write the note to make it look like he left purposely. To stage his second betrayal. But he complied, afraid to do anything for his sake and the team's. _

_He quickly scribbled out the note. The soldier took it, attached it to the bracelet and threw it to the ground. Then Ward's vision went black and that's where the memory stopped._

* * *

"_From the fire that burns inside, consuming. I fight to stay alive but I can't breathe. The voices scream, the enemy takes over everything. This is the madness in me."_

* * *

He struggled against the restraints, but they held tight.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"What?" Ward turned to see a gray-haired, suited man with round glasses walk into the room. He narrowed his eyes, "Who are you?" he asked.

"Daniel Whitehall." the man replied.

"Who?"

"I'm surprised that you haven't heard of me." Whitehall replied. "Since you worked straight under Garrett."

"Do not mention him." Ward hissed. "And why the hell am I here? What do you want with me?"

"Simply getting a valuable asset back."

"I was never with Hydra." Ward growled. "I was strictly with Garrett."

"But he allied himself with Hydra, and you worked right underneath him. That technically makes you Hydra by default." Whitehall said.

Ward didn't respond.

"And you followed him so blindly, a great soldier. Unfortunately your 'conditioning' fell apart."

"Conditioning?! I wasn't conditioned! I wasn't brainwashed!"

"Technically, yes." Whitehall said. "Not the forms you see on TV with fancy machines. Pure mental conditioning. You were conditioned to follow him. Pretty strong too. What happened to you either goes one of two ways, you run away or you follow the man you thought that save you. You followed because his methods conditioned you to. So technically yes, you were brainwashed. And it's a shame that it unravelled. You were such a valuable asset. But a lot of it, you still technically did own your own, there was just some 'help'."

Ward remained silent, taking in what Whitehall had said. He refused to believe that Garrett had brainwashed him, saying that he did all that stuff on his own will. But now he realized that Garrett had an even stronger hold over him that originally thought.

"And you were imprisoned by Coulson, and something happened. That hold snapped."

"Garrett is dead, he's been dead for months now." Ward spat.

"Oh, I know that." Whitehall said. "I thought that his hold would last much longer. But that team got to you. Even when you were in a dark cell. Never thought that they would let you out again. But when I learned that you were investigating that factory with other agents, I found it a prime opportunity to get you back as an asset."

"I am not your asset." Ward hissed. "I am not Hydra, I never was and I will never be."

"You are not really in a position to talk right now." Whitehall stated coldly.

"So? What are you exactly saying?" Ward asked, hatred tinging his voice.

"I'm saying that you cannot do anything right now. You have no weapons and there are several soldiers right outside this room waiting to shoot you if you do anything funny. So don't try anything." he replied.

Ward gulped, wrists rubbing the cuffs, "What are you going to do with me?" he asked.

"Whatever I please." Whitehall said. "Your precious team will not be looking for you. They think that you've abandoned them, that you left. They probably want you dead right now. You I have you all to myself. I know that that sounds weird."

"It does. Now let me out." Ward hissed.

Whitehall simply shook his head, "I can't do that, Ward."

"What are you wanting me to do?" Ward asked.

Whitehall smiled, taking a step towards Ward, "I am wanting you to _**comply**_."

* * *

"_Just one spark is all it takes. Can't change the past, but I can fight to change today. This is not the way that I thought I would turn out to be. Tried to get but all I got was more insanity. Broken everything that I touched just gone against me. Got to get away."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Madness in Me' by Skillet. So that happened. Don't get mad at me, not yet. I promise that everything will fall in line soon, playing on the theme of being a team. Fitz is majorly involved in several chapters. So what does that last line exactly mean? Big cliffhanger since I can't update until Sunday because I'm going to Charleston tomorrow. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	19. Chapter 19 (Forsaken)

**Chapter Nineteen (Forsaken)**

* * *

"_I recall going madly in love with you. And I remember this. How could I forget? Regret is a needle in my neck. It's slowly filling me with poison, spreading to my chest. Take my pain and numb me from this."_

* * *

Fitz watched as Skye, Hunter, and Triplett walked by the lab, clearly in a hurry. He noticed that Ward wasn't with them. He stepped out in the hallway, "Where's Ward?" he called.

Skye slowed a bit, but didn't stop, "That bastard used us." she hissed. "He left, he abandoned us."

Fitz's face fell and he jogged to catch up with them, "Wait, what?" he asked. "That doesn't make, ah, sense. Ward wouldn't do that, why would he leave?"

"I don't know. But he used us to make his escape." Skye said. "Face it, Fitz. Once a traitor, always a traitor. He was just waiting for the perfect moment to run."

Fitz shook his head in disbelief, "No, no, he wouldn't. Skye, he's changed. Ward wouldn't leave us now, not after everything that's happened. Something else had to happen to him, he wouldn't leave us."

Triplett took a breath, "Then why did we find this note in his handwriting?" he asked, handing Fitz the note that they had found.

Fitz read the short note and frowned, "I-I don't know." he stammered. "But there has to be another reason, not just that he betrayed us."

"Maybe you just have to believe what's there." Hunter said quietly. "Because I don't see any other reason."

"But," Fitz began.  
"Fitz, we don't have time for this." Skye said. "Coulson wanted us in his office long ago. I'm sorry, but it looks like that we were wrong to trust Ward again."

She, Hunter, and Triplett left Fitz just standing there.

Fitz didn't know what to think. He refused to believe what Skye had flat out told him. It just didn't add up to him. Why would Ward suddenly leave them in the dust now? Especially after a few weeks of being free. It just didn't add up.

Something else had to be going on, he felt. And the others just weren't seeing it.

* * *

"_Why do I have to beg when all that's left is a memory forsaken?"_

* * *

"Skye, are you three for certain that this is what happened?" Coulson asked, looking at the note. "Because this is serious if Ward really left us."

"What else is it, Coulson?" Skye asked. "Because why would there be a note in _his handwriting_ attached to his tracking bracelet? I don't see any other reason."

Coulson gulped, "I don't know. It's just that I don't want to be suddenly saying that he's a traitor again after everything. But I'll have people looking out for him. And they'll report straight to me if they see him anywhere. That's the only thing that I'll be doing with this. There's so many other things on our plate, and this is just a second helping we don't need." he explained.

"That's not enough!" Skye exclaimed.

"Sir, she is right." Triplett added.  
"I'm doing what I can." Coulson almost snapped. "Hydra is on our asses and I can't do much for finding Ward. If he did betray us again, we'll find him in time. And we'll deal with him. But that isn't something high priority right now. I had a mission scheduled the day after tomorrow to investigate another supposed Hydra base. One that's suspected storing valuable data. Yes, I'll have people looking for Ward, yes they'll bring him in. It's just I had other things we can't give up on now. I'm sorry." he explained.

"Why would he leave us?" Skye muttered. "Why now?"

"I don't know." Coulson said. "Right now I really can't think far enough to think for a reason for his abandonment." He sighed and looked at the wall, "I was foolish to think that I could trust him again." he muttered.

* * *

"_I recall pledging my sole devotion to you. It reminds me how now I'm on my knees. My guilt consumes, lost the will in me. Wasting away before you, hold me closer please. Take my pain and numb me from this."_

* * *

(The Next Day, Elsewhere)

"Sir, they're on the move. And to one of the newer bases at that."

Whitehall looked up and took papers from the man that stood in front of his desk, "Thank you, Ward. And you say a newer base?" he asked.

Ward stood in front of the Hydra agent's base, motionless and no emotion on his face, "Yes sir."

Whitehall read over the papers, "And they'll be there tomorrow. Good, we can get a team on the move to there." He looked up, "And I have the perfect person to lead it. Ward, you'll lead the team. Report back here in two hours."

Ward nodded emotionlessly and walked out of the room.

'I'm surprised how fast it worked.' Whitehall thought. 'He follows my orders without question now. And what a shock it will be to those SHIELD agents to see one of their own fighting against them. And they won't be able to do anything against it. The hold is too great for it to be broken.'

He smiled, placing the papers down on his desk, 'And with him, we have a connection to SHIELD servers. Well, not much. He didn't have much access. But with what access he has, we can get pretty much what we need. And hopefully we can stop their advancement tomorrow. Coulson doesn't have much resources and Hydra will crush what he has. Especially when one of his best assets is against him.'

* * *

"_Why do I have to beg when all that's left is a memory forsaken?"_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Forsaken' by Skillet. Sorry for the short chapter, I feel horrible and I couldn't think of what to write. But tomorrow it all goes down. So Fitz doesn't think that Ward truly betrayed them. And there's that ending. Don't get mad, everything will fall into place sooner or later. Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	20. Chapter 20 (Dance, Dance)

**Chapter Twenty (Dance, Dance)**

* * *

"_She says she's no good with words but I'm worse. Barely stuttered out "A joke of a romantic", or just stuck to my tongue. Weighed down with words too over-dramatic. Tonight's it's "It can't get much worse" vs "No one should ever feel like…"_

* * *

(The Next Day)

Skye, May, Hunter, and Triplett arrived nearby another Hydra base they were to investigate. The base was suspected of housing extremely valuable data that SHIELD could use. And hopefully they wouldn't lose anyone this time around.

Everyone was still reeling from Ward's supposed abandonment. Fitz refused to believe that Ward had left, Skye didn't know what to think, and everyone else thought that Ward had flat out left them.

But no one knew what exactly to think.

The small, four man group continued towards the base. Again, it looked completely empty. None of them liked it. They easily made their way into the base, no one else in sight.

They stopped right inside of the base.

"I don't like this." Hunter said. "Again, there's no one here. Last time it was like this, we lost Ward."

"Coulson said that this was an active base." May said. "It's like that they knew that we were coming."

"But how?" Triplett asked.

"Someone had to hack into our systems and found the mission's data." Skye said. "That's the only way. Or we have a mole."

"I say it's Ward." Hunter said. "That's seems to be the only possible way."

"I don't think he ran back to Hydra." May said. "If he did run off, it wasn't to Hydra."

"So you're saying,"

"I'm saying that we still don't know." May cut in. "I'm just not jumping to conclusions this time. Let's just get this mission over with. It shouldn't take long. All we got to do is have Skye hack into the mainframe and extract the data this place stores. Then we're out of here."

The others hesitantly nodded, and they all went down the hall, looking for a room that would store computers.

After a few minutes, they came into a big, open, common area. The area housed several couches, chairs, desks, and lo and behold, computers.

"Skye, there's some computers." Triplett said. "See what you can get."

Skye nodded and went over to a computer, but before she could even turn it on an achingly familiar voice stopped her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Skye gulped and slowly turned around. There stood Ward, along with five Hydra soldiers. A cold, metallic glare in his eyes.

* * *

"_I'm two quarters and a heart down. And I don't want to forget how your voice sounds. These words are all I have, so I'll write them. So you need them just to get by."_

* * *

"Grant." she muttered.

May reached for her gun, "So you did run back to Hydra." she said coldly. "Why?"

"Does there have to be a reason?" Ward asked robotically, no emotion in his voice. "I'm only here to stop you from going on."

Skye frowned, something didn't seem right. Something seemed off with him.

"Why did you leave us?" Triplett asked. "Why did you use us to make your escape?"

"Like I said, does that really matter?" Ward asked again, coldly. "There doesn't have to be a specific reason for everything, you know. Maybe the answer is just because I wanted to." His eyes stayed trained on the four agents, unmoving. Something was off in his normally soft, brown eyes. The eyes that Skye had last seen. Now they were cold and hard, almost robotic.

May pointed her gun straight at Ward, and Hunter and Triplett followed, "That's not a good enough answer, Ward." she stated. "You've already betrayed us once, two times is enough. Coulson was wrong to trust you enough to release you."

"And maybe he was." Ward responded. "But all that matters now is that I'm free, and I'm with the side that will win. SHIELD is small in comparison to Hydra. What made you think that SHIELD could possibly win? By collecting useless data from our servers?" he asked.

"That's not going to work." he continued. "The data has already been moved and wiped from these servers. There's nothing here."

"So we were lead straight into…." Skye trailed off.

"A trap, that's right." Ward stated. He motioned towards the five Hydra soldiers who stood by his side, they in turn, stepped towards the four SHIELD agents. "A trap that you will not leave. You will be killed right here, right now. And SHIELD will lose its most valuable agents."

The soldiers stepped closer towards the agents.

Skye eyed Triplett. '_Now.' _she mouthed.

Triplett nodded slightly. He had come prepared in case anything happened. He had a small EMP that would disable the enemy's weapons and sent the base into darkness. Their own weapons wouldn't be affected because Triplett rigged them with a special device that made them immune to the electrical pulse.

He reached into his pocket and activated the device. A loud blast sounded and the soldiers' weapons exploded in their hands. They dropped them and the base went pitch-black.

Ward looked around, trying to see anything.

The team took this opportunity to make their escape.

"Find them!" Ward roared. "They can't escape!"

His commands faded into the background as the team dashed out of the base and into the grass surrounding it. But they didn't stop until they reached their transport jet a mile from the base. A few minutes later, they ran into the jet and May got it into the air as fast as she could.

Hunter took a deep breath, trying to catch his breath, "What the hell was that?!" he exclaimed. "So he did go back to Hydra!"

May now came out of the cockpit after setting the jet on autopilot. "He did leave us. Coulson will be pissed."

Skye shook her head, "Something wasn't right with him." she said.

"What?" Triplett asked.

"Did you notice that he talked without any emotion in his voice, almost robot-like?" she asked.

"In a way, but I just thought that was him normally." Hunter said.

"No, he isn't." Skye said. "And his eyes, I haven't seen a look in them like that in a long time. They're normally caring and soft, but they were stone cold."

May took a breath, "Skye?" she asked. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that something was wrong with him." she responded. "That wasn't him."

"Wasn't him?!" Hunter exclaimed. "That was him!"

"I mean it was him, but it's like it wasn't." Skye said. "I don't know how to say it. It was like he was, it was like he was being controlled."

* * *

"_Dance, dance. We're falling apart to half time. Dance, dance. And these are the lives you'd love to lead. Dance, this is they way they'd love. If they knew how misery loved me."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Dance, Dance' by Fall Out Boy. Boom goes the dynamite! Skye knew that something was off, and she was right. She concluded that Ward was being controlled when he about attacked. How will this go on even further? Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! (Please review! Nobody reviewed the last chapter.) ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	21. Chapter 21 (This is War)

**Chapter Twenty-One (This is War)**

* * *

"_A warning to the people, the good and the evil. This is war. To the soldier, the civilian, the martyr, the victim. This is war."_

* * *

Sometime later, the four agents made their way back to base, frazzled from what had just occurred. They made their way inside and to Coulson's office.

Coulson stood as they came in. He frowned, "You're back early. Did you get any data?" he asked. "Or did it go south?"

May shook her head, "We didn't get a chance to, and yes it went south." she said. "We were ambushed. Luckily Triplett had an EMP that blew the base's power and the soldiers' weapons. We were able to get away."

"And you wouldn't believe who was in command of the soldiers that ambushed us." Hunter added in.

Coulson's stomach froze and his face fell, "Please don't tell me… Ward…." he trailed off. "It was him, wasn't it? Please tell me it was someone else." he asked.

Triplett nodded slightly, "Wanting to kill us to. Don't know what's gotten into that bastard."

"I don't think that was him." Skye said. "I really don't."

"Oh, there she goes again with that theory." Hunter mumbled. "It's too crazy."

Coulson raised an eyebrow, "Skye, what do you mean that 'it wasn't him'?" he asked.

"I mean it was him, but something was off. He was so cold, so robotic. It wasn't like him." Skye said. "He wasn't himself."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying… I'm saying that he was being controlled. He was doing everything against his own will. Someone else was in control of what he was doing, giving him orders that he couldn't refuse." Skye said.

"Like brainwashing?" Coulson asked.

"Exactly. What I was thinking is when he went missing, Hydra took him. They made him write the note to make it look like he intentionally left and they removed his tracking bracelet. Hydra took him God knows where and got their control over him. And I'm saying that we need to get to him and break him out of that control, if I'm right, before anything horrible happens." Skye explained.

"I may be wrong, but for him just to run off to Hydra like that doesn't seem right after everything. And especially how he was acting was a big indication that it wasn't totally him."

"Ok, if you're right, how do we find him?" Hunter asked. "He's one man in a sea of thousands of Hydra soldiers. And there's no telling how many people Hydra has brainwashed."

"And if his brainwashing or whatever is in their databanks, it'll be hard to find." Triplett added. "That's something they wouldn't blatantly put out there, it would be really hard to find."

"I'll try to find anything along those lines." Skye said. "We've got to find him before something horrible happens, like I said."

May took a breath, "And how to suppose we begin with this?" she asked.

"I don't know." Skye said. "Honestly, I don't. We'll just have to try everything we can. Before it's too late."

* * *

"_It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie. The moment to live, and the moment to die. The moment to fight, the moment to fight, to fight, to fight, to fight!"_

* * *

"Tell me what exactly happened?" Whitehall asked, his tone extremely harsh.

"Sir, they got away. We were unprepared." Ward responded in his robotic tone. "They had an EMP and blew our weapons and the base's power. They took the opportunity of the situation and ran. I'm sorry."

"If you were sorry, you wouldn't had let them get away." Whitehall snapped. "It's that simple."

"But sir," Ward began.

"No buts. You failed in your first mission, that's it. I don't care if you were 'unprepared', you should've been ready to make accommodations for anything that could happen. Hydra doesn't lose, Ward. You're disappointing me."

"Sir."

Whitehall took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He looked at Ward for a long while before speaking again, "You know what?" he asked. "I'll give you another chance."

"Chance? What kind of chance?"

"That biochemist girl you worked with, Jemma Simmons." Whitehall said.

"What about her?" Ward asked.

"Bring her to me. It has recently come to my attention that she had infiltrated Hydra, reporting back to Coulson our secrets. But I see that she could've been a strong asset to us. I want her back here. So bring her to me at any costs." Whitehall ordered. "I don't want anymore mess ups."

Something in Ward's mind hesitated, the programming slipping, "Sir, I don't think," he began.

"Are you questioning my order?" Whitehall cut in, his voice cold. He narrowed his eyes, "Or do you have to comply again?"

Ward's face hardened again, "No sir."

"Good, because I don't want to go through all of that again." Whitehall replied. "All you have to do is bring the girl to me. That's all. I don't want failure this time. Do you understand?"

Ward mechanically nodded, "Yes sir."

Whitehall gave a slight smile, "Let them know that this is war. And kill whoever stands in your way."

* * *

"_To the right, to the left, we will fight to the death! To the edge of the earth. It's a brave, new world. From the last to the first. To the right, to the left, we will fight to the death! To the edge of the earth. It's a brave new world! It's a brave new world!"_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'This is War' by 30 Seconds to Mars. Sorry, short chapter. I don't feel really well. So all that happened in such a short chapter. I'll let you think on it. Not saying anymore. Please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	22. Chapter 22 (Zombie)

**Chapter Twenty-Two (Zombie)**

* * *

"_You started forgetting who you really are. I'm getting kind of worried, you've been gone for so long. How is your body sleeping? Where did the human go? So has it stopped the healing? Oh, have you lost control? Oh, where did all your fire go?"_

* * *

(Three Days Later)

Fitz looked at Simmons, a longing look in his eyes, "Jemma, do you really think that something happened to Ward?" he asked. "Nothing is making, ah, sense now."

Simmons sighed, "Fitz, I don't know. I really wouldn't think that we would just leave us like that. But I don't want to think that something as horrible as brainwashing has happened to him. I just don't. But hopefully the others can find him, and we can bring him back if he really is doing everything against his own will."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I know that he means a lot to you since he really helped you." Simmons replied. "I promise we can get him back. Coulson won't stop until he's back. This is a serious situation and we don't know whether Ward really left us or not."

"Where did Coulson exactly send Skye, Trip, Hunter, and May?" Fitz asked.

"Some base that apparently had Ward on surveillance footage. But he's probably long gone from that base by now. There's no clue to where he could be at."

"But they've got to find him." Fitz said quietly. "Too much has happened for him just to be gone like that. It's too soon. He's done too much in the past while to help us just to be gone now."

"Again, I bet that they will find them. It's just hard to find out where he is. There's no clue where he is at."

"Yeah, like right behind you."

Fitzsimmons both froze and slowly turned to face the gruff voice. There Ward stood, looming over the two scientists, a cold, harsh look in his eyes.

The two scientists scrambled backwards, almost tripping over tables. Fitz got in front of Simmons, trying to protect her.

"W-What are you doing here?!" Fitz exclaimed. "Where did you come from?!"

"It's not hard getting into here when you still have access to the door." Ward said coldly.

Fitz frowned, seeing something different in the agent's eyes.

Ward's eyes shifted to Simmons, "Now give her to me. She is needed elsewhere." he ordered, his voice turning robotic.

"No!" Fitz screamed. "You can't take her! You'll have to go through me first to get to her!"

"Fitz," Simmons began.

"Trust me!"

Ward's face contorted into a snarl, and he took the young engineer by the throat and pinned him against the wall. "Do not fight back against me." he hissed. "You will regret it."

Fitz choked, realizing that this really wasn't the true Ward. "Please, Ward this isn't you." he croaked. "I know you, and, and this isn't what you would do. You are being controlled. You would never attack us." He gulped, "You wouldn't."

Ward's eye twitched. "I do not care for you." he hissed, but there was hesitation in his voice. "I'm only here for what I was ordered, and it's her. Your words mean nothing to me."

"Yes they do!" Fitz exclaimed. "You care for all of us, even when we didn't! You, you were the one that helped me when no one else would. Ward, please, this isn't you. Look at what you are doing. Don't let yourself become the monster again. Please."

Ward's grip on Fitz loosened, his eyes softening. He blinked. Confusion filled his face. Looking around the room, he let go of Fitz, "Fitz?" he asked. "What the hell is going on? Where am I?"

Relief filled Fitz like a balloon, he had broken through to the true Ward.

But Ward's face hardened again, "What the hell are you doing to me?!" he roared.

Fitz noticed Simmons behind the conflicted agent. He gave a slight nod.

Then, out of pretty much nowhere, Simmons swung a fire extinguisher into the bag of Ward's head. Ward shouted out in pain and fell to the ground unconscious.

"Jemma, go get Coulson." Fitz said. "Now, before he wakes up again. I don't know if he's still under Hydra's hold or not. Go get him now, I'll keep watch."

Simmons hesitated, but nodded and rushed out of the lab, dropping the fire extinguisher.

Fitz gave a hesitant look towards Ward. Was the agent done as Hydra's zombie, or was there more to breaking the hold?

* * *

"_You're on the inside and they know you're dying. On the outside your flesh is dying. This is not your funeral. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up the zombie."_

* * *

(Elsewhere in a SHIELD Transport Jet.)

"_May?"_ Coulson asked through May's comm. "_Are you there?"_

"Yes, I am." May responded. "What's the matter?"

"_The search is over. Get back here now with the others."_

May frowned, "Wait, what do you mean that the search is over?" she asked.

"_Ward infiltrated the base and attempted to kidnap Simmons. Somehow Fitz was able to hold him off just long enough for Simmons to knock him unconscious with, believe it or not, a fire extinguisher. Get back here now, we don't know if he's still under Hydra's control."_

"So he was under their control?" May asked.

"_According to Fitzsimmons, yes."_

"Ok, on our way."

Skye frowned, "What was that about?" she asked.

"We're turning back around and heading back towards the base. Ward tried to kidnap Simmons. He's unconscious though. We've got to get back there now in case anything bad happens." she replied.

"Why would he try to kidnap Jemma?" Triplett asked.

"Yeah, that's strange." Hunter added in.

"Probably Hydra." May said. "But that doesn't matter. At least she's safe and we have Ward. But we're going back now. There's no telling what will happen when he wakes up."

Skye nodded. She was slightly relieved that Ward didn't really betray them. But at the same time, she was scared that they wouldn't be able to break him out of that hold Hydra held over him.

* * *

"_So long over-medicated. Thinking nothing's wrong because you're so sedated. This is not your funeral. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up the zombie. Wake up the zombie!"_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Zombie' by We As Human. Ward attacks, but Fitz manages to hold him off long enough so Simmons can knock him out. I told you Fitz would play a big part, breaking Ward out his control just long enough to stop him. And Fitz will be a big, big part of everything returning back to normal. Ward helped Fitz, so now it's Fitz's turn to help Ward. Good? I hope so. Keep reading and please favorite, follow and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan._  
_


	23. Chapter 23 (Centuries)

**Chapter Twenty-Three (Centuries)**

* * *

"_Some legends are told. Some turn to dust or to gold. But you will remember me, remember me for centuries. And just one mistake, is all it will take. We'll go down in history, remember me for centuries."_

* * *

(Hours Later)

Ward groaned as he peeled his eyes open and dim light poured into them. HIs head pulsed and throbbed as he sat up, using one arm to support himself. Looking around, he found himself back on the cot in Vault D.

"What the hell?" he muttered. "How did I get back here?"

His mind was a blur, everything was smushing together. Nothing was making sense for him. He remembered being at a Hydra base with Skye, Hunter, and Triplett. Then he swore that there were Hydra soldiers, then nothing. HIs mind drew a total blank to what had happened past that point.

"What's going on?"

"Ward, please tell me it's you, and not the other you."

Ward frowned and turned to see Skye and Fitz standing on the other side of the barrier. "What do you mean 'the other me'?" he asked. "There's always been one me. What the hell happened?"

Skye looked hesitantly at Fitz and then back to Ward, "Hydra got you and, well, they brainwashed you. We thought that you had abandoned us. If it wasn't for Fitz, and my slight hope that something had happened to you, we would've thought that you really left us."

Ward stood to his feet, "H-How did you break me out? I've seen Hydra' brainwashing methods, they're hard to break. How?" he asked.

Fitz shuffled his feet and looked at them sheepishly, "Me."

Ward blinked, "You? How?"

"All I did was remind you who you really were, and, and that this was something that you wouldn't do." Fitz replied.

Ward's face fell, "What did I do?" he asked. "And don't overlook it. What did I do?"

"You tried to kidnap Jemma."

"What?"

"Apparently Hydra wanted her for some reason." Skye said. "And we still don't know the reason why though. May, Hunter, Triplett, and I were off looking for you and you got into the base and into the lab."

"You pinned me against the wall." Fitz continued. "I had to convince you that that wasn't you."

The color drained from Ward's face, "I-I'm sorry." he said quietly. "I am."

"Ward, It wasn't you." Skye said. "You weren't in control and it seems that the hold is really broken. You have nothing to be sorry about."

"What now?" he asked. "Is Coulson going to trust me again?"

"Grant, again, that wasn't you. Hydra kidnapped you and did that to you all against your will. Coulson isn't going to punish you for that." Skye said. "The only reason to why you're in the Vault now, is that we weren't sure if the brainwashing had broken or not."

"I promise you, it's totally me." Ward stated.

"And I think that I see that." Skye responded. "All we have to do now is tell Coulson that you're good, then you'll be out."

"I just have one question, why was it just you and Fitz who stayed in here?" Ward asked.

"I don't know. Something about we are the ones that care for you the most." Fitz said. "Ah, something that Coulson had said."

Ward nodded, but didn't say anything in response. His head still pounded from everything, taking everything that had happened in. Even though it really wasn't him doing everything, he still felt guilty for trying to hurt the team.

Skye turned and looked at the door, "I'll go tell Coulson that we think that you are good, and he'll come and get you out."

* * *

"_Mummified my teenage dreams. No it's nothing wrong with me. The kids are all wrong. The story's all off. Heavy metal broke my heart."_

* * *

(Just a Little Bit Later)

Ward followed Coulson down the base's hallways. After Coulson had deemed that Ward was free from any Hydra control, he had let him out of the Vault. Coulson led him back to the base's common room, where in which everyone else was waiting.

They all smiled slightly at him as Ward walked in. Coulson went off with May to leave everyone to talk.

Hunter narrowed his eyes, "And you're sure he's still not Hydra's robot?" he asked.

Skye sighed and rolled her eyes, walking over to Ward, "Yes, Lance, I'm sure. And he doesn't remember anything." she said. "He's good."

"Fine then." Hunter stated.

"Hunter, I promise you that I'm good." Ward said. "And I'm sorry for any danger I put you guys in. I truly am."

"That wasn't you." Triplett said. "You weren't in control."

"And Fitz and I both told him that." Skye said. "He still insists on saying that he's sorry."

"It wasn't you, Ward." Simmons said. "You're good."

Ward gave a small, sheepish smile, not saying anything. He sighed, "I wouldn't be back here if it wasn't for Fitz." he said. "Simmons would be gone as well. He's the one that held me off long enough so Simmons could get me knocked out. You should be thanking him."

Fitz smiled, "It, it was nothing." he said. "You helped me before, so it was automatic that I would help you out of that control."

"Thank you, Fitz." Ward said. "For everything."

"It was nothing."

"Now, if you two would stop flirting with each other." Hunter cut in. "Let's have a little party, now that everything seems to be back to normal, hopefully."

"We weren't flirting!" Fitz exclaimed.

Ward only shot Hunter a glare.

"Just joking."

"It was a terrible joke." Ward commented.

"You've got to learn to expand your humor." Hunter said.

"Maybe I don't want to."

Skye rolled her eyes, "Can we just have one day of calm?!"

* * *

"_Come on, come on and let me in. I'm cruising on your thighs, leave my fingerprints. And this is for tonight. I thought that you would feel. I never meant for you to fix yourself."_

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Centuries' by Fall Out Boy. Not much of a chapter, but the next chapter is the last sadly. Would make it go on more, but there wasn't been much response with the second half of this story and I have no ideas. Keep reading and please review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


	24. Chapter 24 (Immortals)

**Chapter Twenty-Four (Immortals)**

* * *

"_Sometimes the only payoff for having any faith, is when it's tested again and again everyday. I'm still comparing your past to my future. It might be over, but they're not sutures."_

* * *

(Approximately Two Weeks Later)

Fitz frowned as he saw Skye and Ward come into the common room, wearing their mission gear. "What's, ah, going on?" he asked. "Is something going on?"

"Just another routine mission." Ward said. "Another supposed Hydra base to investigate, that's all."

"You're not, uh, going to go missing this time, are you?" Fitz asked.

Skye gave a slight smile to the young engineer, "No, he will not." she replied. "I'll be watching him the entire time."

"Meaning, she'll probably be glued to my side the entire time." Ward translated.

Skye elbowed him, "That's not what I mean, Grant!" she exclaimed.

"Knowing you, that's exactly what you meant." he said.

Fitz frown, unsure of what exactly was going on, "Uh, okay?"

"Ignore her." Ward said.

"Excuse me?" Skye asked.

"Never mind."

Fitz raised an eyebrow, "Well, uh, when will you be back?" he asked.

"Hopefully later today." Ward replied.

"Who else is going with you?"

"Just Hunter and Triplett." Skye said. "And speaking of Hunter, have you seen him?" she asked. "I've seen Trip, but not Hunter."

Fitz shrugged, "No. I've been in the lab with Jemma all day." he replied. "So I haven't seen Hunter."

"Great." Ward sighed. "Now we have to find him before we leave."

"Find who in the what now?" Hunter asked, coming into the room.

"Find you." Skye said. "Where the hell have you been?" she asked.

"Busy." Hunter replied. "You don't need to know everything that I do."

"I'm hoping that wasn't referring to something dirty." Ward muttered.

Skye and Fitz exchanged horrified looks.

Ward coughed, "Well, if this is all over, we need to get to the mission location soon." he said.

"Okay. And as you see, I'm ready." Hunter said, motioning that he had on mission gear.

"Good. Trip's already in the hangar waiting for us." Ward said. "We just have to go meet up with him and we'll be on our way."

"Okay."

Ward turned to look at Fitz, "We'll be back soon enough, Fitz." he said. "Don't try to blow up anything while we're gone."

"I'll be working on something with Mack, so I won't." Fitz said. "Just don't try to, ah, go missing this time and come back as a robot."

Ward rolled his eyes, "I won't."

* * *

"_I am the sand, bottom half of the hourglass. I'll try to picture me without you, but I can't. 'Cause we could be immortals, immortals. Just not for long, for long."_

* * *

Fitz returned to the lab, and back to where Simmons was standing. "Where's Mack?" he asked. "We were supposed to be working on something."

"Coulson wanted him to work on something for a while, so it's just us for right now." Simmons replied. "But I think that he will be back sooner or later."

Fitz slowly nodded, and looked to the table that Simmons was standing in front of , "What's that?" he asked.

Simmons held up a vial of blue liquid, "Just a enhanced version of the ICER dendrotoxin." she explained. "It lasts longer and is just a bit stronger."

"Don't make it explode." Fitz said. "No telling what will happen."  
"It's not going to explode, Leo." Simmons said sternly.

Fitz gulped, "That's the first time." he said.

"That I haven't made something explode?" Simmons asked, confused.

"No, the first time in a while that you've called me Leo." he said.

"Oh, that. I've always figured that you didn't like being called that." she said.

"No, I don't like being called, ah, Leopold. I don't mind Leo." Fitz said.

"Do you want me to call you Leo more?" she asked.

"It doesn't, ah, matter. I'm just surprised that you called me that."

"I guess it slipped out this time."

Fitz nodded softly, "Does it seem that everything's back to normal?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Like everything is back to the way it was a year ago, before the fall of SHIELD."

"Sort of, mostly because Ward still isn't on the best of terms with us, and we now have Hunter and Mack with us."

"And my speech problem." Fitz added.

"You're getting better." Simmons said.

"Really?"

"You're forming clearer sentences now." she said. "That's really good."

Fitz gave a soft smile. He hoped that nothing would ever change again, and that how the way things were now was the way it was going to last. That it would be immortal.

* * *

"_If we meet forever now, pull the blackout curtains down. We could be immortals, immortal. Just not for long, for long. We could be immortals, immortals, immortals, immortals."_

* * *

**_END_**

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Immortals' by Fall Out Boy. And that's the end! I hoped you enjoyed! I know it was a messed-up story, but thanks to those who followed it the entire way through! My next story is a AoS/Supernatural crossover titled 'The Shadows of the Soul'. Please review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.


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